According to a recent report by Italian outlet Gazetta, Series A giants AC Milan are said to be lining up a potential January move for Arsenal’s Egyptian outcast Mohamed Elneny. Milan are said to be on high alert considering the interest that Premier League side Wolves have shown in their pursuit of midfield destroyer Franck Kessie. They are said to be targeting Elneny, who is currently on loan at Besiktas, as a replacement for Kessie. A fee in the region of £13m is being suggested.
Mohamed Elneny’s spell at Arsenal
The Egyptian midfielder was signed from FC Basel in the winter of 2016 in a deal that cost the Gunners a little over £10m. Initially brought in as a midfield reinforcement in what was a strenuous campaign for Arsenal, Elneny never really clicked at the Emirates. His time in the first-team was extremely limited, and he spent most of his days watching on from the sidelines.
Having graduated out of the Al Ahly and then Arab Contractors academies, it was at FC Basel that the Egyptian international made a name for himself. He played 144 times for the Swiss side before making the switch to North London. At Arsenal, Elneny was utilised on 89 separate occasions, and he even managed to score a couple of goals along the way.
What the midfielder brings to the table
The Egyptian midfielder is a tall man who has the physical ability to beat any defender for strength. His impressive height and a rather lavish frame mean that he’s not easy to turn or dribble around either. Adept at cutting out passes in midfield, Elneny has made a living out of reading plays and staying a few steps ahead of the opposition attackers. Although his forward movement wasn’t very effective in the Premier League, that could be down to the sheer speed at which the game is played in England.
Given a little more time and space on the ball, Elneny has the potential to become a complete midfielder. He tends to position himself well in the middle of the park and has a keen eye for opponents’ runs. Although he did make a flurry of individual mistakes while at Arsenal, the Egyptian did show various glimpses of his true quality from time to time. Given the more tactical nature of the Italian game, a move to the Serie A could be well-tailored to the midfielder’s skill-set.
Should the Gunners cash in on Elneny now?
The chances of the Egyptian returning from his loan spell at Besiktas and breaking into the Arsenal first-team next season are quite bleak. His presence in the squad didn’t have the influence that the Gunners faithful were hoping for. With youngsters Matteo Guendouzi and Lucas Torreira now excelling in the middle of the park, the need for a player like Elneny doesn’t come into the equation.
Although Granit Xhaka hasn’t been filling Gunners fans with hope and confidence in recent weeks, he remains a much more viable option than Elneny. Also, the gaping hole that Aaron Ramsey left in midfield needs to be filled effectively, and most Arsenal fans will put their money on Elneny not being that man. If Milan do come calling in January, there’s every chance that Arsenal will sell, given how they have been talking about getting rid of dead-weight for a pretty long time now.
