I have seen a few comments suggesting an attempt to re-sign Aaron Ramsey, given his lack success or opportunity at Juventus. I have also seen us being linked to a move for Doucoure from Watford this summer. I am not sure whether either are likely given one is barely fit for more than half a season and would have to take, at a conservative guess, a 60% pay cut and the second has just tuned 27 and despite periodic flashes of great form, has yet to be called on by France.

Unlikely
I think the reality is that the media and the Arsenal fanbase will continue to speculate on potential goal scoring midfielders, whilst the Gunners have minimal threat from the current crop. I do think the links to Premier League ready or experienced players makes sense, but I don’t necessarily understand the link to traditional box to box midfielders and the talk of needing one to play 433. Arteta has not spoken of any desire to play that system, not has he once utilised it, as I recall, and he comes to Arsenal from a team that has thrived with creative wide players.
I think Man City often used a 4141 system which is entirely plausible I suppose but I prefer to speculate, based on what we know and that is that our coach has opted for 4231 with a 10 so far. Given this reality and the firm base Xhaka and Torreira give us and that we are yet to see Arteta’s 4231 with both first-choice full backs fit and playing simultaneously, I would understand speculation about the type of 10 we need to upgrade on Ozil far more.
I like the Xhaka/Torreira combination, as long as the Swiss part of the equation is predominantly the furthest forward of the two. The Uruguayan can patrol, break up play, intercept and then play it simple. Hopefully the simple pass, often, will be to his partner, then Xkaha can use his vision to pass and breaks the lines or find one of his three advanced colleagues in space. I am not saying neither can be upgraded upon but if Arsenal where looking to spend big in the midfield area it is further up the pitch, centrally, that I see the need.

Not the future
Mesut Ozil has been a good servant to Arsenal but there is little doubt that his best years are not in front of him. Very few players have had his vision or accuracy of incisive pass. To be fair to the enigmatic German, the team, towards the end of the Wenger era and certainly in the Emery tenure was not set up for him too shine and perhaps the player quality was not at the level to accept and appreciate his brilliance. All that said, in my view the game has moved on in recent years and the traditional passing 10 who plays mostly in the opposition half is luxury not afforded my many, if any top sides. Ozil, barring the one season where Wenger played a system where Ozil was often allowed to beyond Alexis, when the latter played centrally, he has not contributed the goals needed from his position.

Goal scoring 10 2012/13
Not since the first season of Santi Cazorla have Arsenal had their 10, in a 4231 likely to chip in with a double figure goal tally. The diminutive Spaniard contributed 12 assists and 12 goals (14 in all competitions) in his first Premier League season, primarily from 10, although he did move top the left of the 3, when Podolski fell out of favour in the second part of that campaign. Ozil from memory, only once surpassed that tally for assists and certainly never for goals. For me, this is the position that Arteta might prioritise this summer by targeting a midfielder who has the physicality Ozil lacks, coupled with the ability to break the lines by beating a man, as Santi did, and who can chip in with his fair share of goals and assists of course. The type of player required, and I am sure Emery believed Ceballos was this player, could play at 10 or advanced in a 3 but also play deeper, perhaps at home, against weaker sides, when Mesut could still play.
If the ‘Premier League ready’ tag is seriously among the criteria, and I agree it should be then there is one player who fits the bill and would be available the summer. On current form he may be off to the Euros so buying him before might be sensible. That man is Jack Grealish, the current Aston Villa captain and talisman. Some might advocate Madison, but in my view Grealish can play in the 2 at home if Arteta wants to be adventurous and at 10 with equal aplomb and the Leicester star man can’t play both roles to such a high level in my view.
Grealish has the low centre of gravity and strength of a central midfielder and the vision, passing ability and eye for goal of the 10 we had in Fabergas and briefly in Cazorla’s first season. In 2019/20, in a struggling side, without his side kick McGinn for several months, the young skipper has not only carried his team but has contributed 7 goals and 5 assists in the Premier League. I think it would be fair to say that without Grealish, Aston Villa would deeper in relegation trouble than they are. Therefore, as much as he undoubtedly loves his boyhood club, he will know that at the start of next season he will be 25 and with his crucial peak years ahead of him and he needs to move to a bigger club.

The 10 we need at Arsenal
I am convinced that if Arsenal made Grealish their number one midfield target he would come. We know he loves The Emirates and the lure of being the main man at a club of Arsenal’s stature and working closely with a young coach who knows what it takes to succeed and improve must be hugely appealing. Arriving at The Emirates in the summer he will be arriving at the start of a project and I hope that would appeal to him. All that said, winning the Europa and guaranteeing Champions League football would be a clincher, particularly as our likely competition is Man United or (if we believe reports) Real Madrid. Some suggest a move to Old Trafford might even be agreed in principle but surely that is press speculation.
I actually cannot remember the last time I felt so strongly about wanting a particular player and if Arsenal are serious then the need to make their interest known to Grealish’s representatives now.

Passionate fifty-something Arsenal supporter who has been making the journey to N5 regularly since the early 1980s – although his first game was in 1976. Always passionate when talking about The Arsenal, Dave decided to send a guest blog to Gunnersphere in the summer of 2011 and has not stopped writing about the Gunners since.
He set up his own site – 1 Nil Down 2 One Up – in February 2012, which he moved on in 2016 to concentrate on freelance writing and building Gunners Town, which he launched with Paul in 2014.
The objective of GT was to be new and fresh and to give a platform for likeminded passionate Arsenal fans wishing to write about their team. Dave still of course, writes for the site himself and advises the ever-changing writing crew.
Bringing Ramsey back would be a good move….But his fitness may well be a problem. To me as well Jack Grealish would be the perfect answer….but only if Arteta wants him. Sounds obvious but his is not the only voice heard at Arsenal these days. Nothing wrong with the triumvirate but ultimately decisions fall on Arteta’s shoulders
Really good article…..thank you.
Thanks mate
Grealish or James maddison for me would do the trick. But i also feel we havent utilised Cabellos to the max. The boy has potential to add creativity to our midfield.
Also as an after thought why cant we get Ibrahim Diaz from Madrid, i see him becoming the next big thing with proper coaching..Mark my words…
Agree bit when given the opportunity Arteta seems to have Willock ahead of him. He stablised us well in last 20 v Cherries
Stats have made people forget what makes a great player, that is heart. Grealish has that, he is a leader through and through and arsenal is in need of such players. Players you can take to war, if we had such players in recent times under Wenger we would have won 3 or more league titles and may be the champions league.
Grealish will fit into the present arsenal team. He is what the midfield lacks at the moment. My only worry is he’ll cost an arm and a leg. And arsenal have shown over the years that they are not ready to break the bank for players. I believe the club might have to start buying smart(what dortmund and juve have been doing). Buying a players just before they explode like dortmund did with auba, Sancho, Dembele etc or get good players for free like juve have done over the years matuidi, Can, Rabiot, Ramsey etc
If Grealish might cost an arm and a leg we can get Buendia from Norwich, he has the heart to succeed at this level.
Fingers crossed
Nice thought getting Grealish.He would be perfect.except two major problems.one.yes I think he would come on a heartbeat but £60/75 million would be the silly money the villains would be looking for.the English premium as they say.so that rules us out.expect a cheaper arrival.maybe around the £35 mill mark. & two The English meeja are alreading touting him towards their poster boys Manure.They usually do the picking of players for Manure to put pressure on them to buy .& it hat has begun already.so expect a Manure to hand over silly money.particularly if they get rid of pogba.
I doubt United would go for Grealish given their new creative player, Bruno Fernandes. Unlikely, even in the departure of Pogba who may be forced to stay given his injuries this season. Would Barca or Madrid risk spending what Pogba would demand in transfer fees, bonuses and wages? Perhaps PSG.Still unlikely. Overall, it’s very likely that we get our man if interested.
I think he is game to pick up, I think he’d be a great addition to the side.