According to Evening Standard’s Simon Collings, Mikel Arteta has welcomed Mohamed Elneny back to training. The Arsenal midfielder has returned from his loan spell at Besiktas and will train with the first-team members as part of the club’s pre-season preparations. Elneny, however, is courted by a host of Turkish clubs following a successful campaign. But, does he have a future at Emirates?
The Curious Case For Elneny At Arsenal Next Season
Elneny potentially having a future at Emirates seems like a rather bizarre proposition given how well the Arsenal midfield has fared in the recent season. However, a closer look at the club’s situation in the midfield unit may suggest a slight scope for the Egpytian next season.
Dani Ceballos, in particular, has left a massive void in the double-pivot by returning to Real Madrid, following the end of his one-year loan spell at Arsenal. It is combined with Matteo Guendouzi having an uncertain future at the club after falling out with Mikel Arteta and the coaching staff earlier this year.
Lucas Torreira has also failed to live up to the expectations and has been linked with a move elsewhere, leaving Arteta with Granit Xhaka as the only reliable option in the middle of the park.
Although the Gunners are more than expected to dip into the transfer market in search of new midfielders, Elneny’s presence in the side is indeed appealing, especially given how Arteta has been able to rejuvenate certain players.
The Egpytian’s technically astute nature as well as his ability to read the game, in that regard, should actually make him an interesting option alongside Xhaka in the double-pivot.
Potential Downsides
While a potential revival of Elneny at Arsenal might seem enticing, it won’t be fair to overlook the struggles he has had in adapting to life in the Premier League.
In his 89 competitive appearances for the Gunners, the 28-year-old has failed to make a name for himself. Although that may change, it is indeed a risk and perhaps even futile from Arsenal’s part to rely on the ex-Basel midfielder to reignite his spark under Arteta in the coming season.
Elneny’s potential sale this summer might be more beneficial for the club as it will help them fund moves for the new targets in the summer. Also, it should pave the way for younger players like Joe Willock to gain a more prominent role in the first-team, meaning it would perhaps be a wise option for the north London giants to offload their Egyptian midfielder finally.
