Transfer News:
Arsenal has been in abysmal form this season, especially in the league, and there are various factors leading to this particular situation. Having been beaten in four consecutive games just a couple weeks ago, there are glaring drawbacks that need to be sorted in their squad. One of the major things that I think that this Arsenal squad lacks is a proper defensive midfielder.
Someone who can break attacks at will and has a good sense of positioning. Defensive midfielders are of utmost importance in the current world football and Arsenal is the only team that does not have a quality specialist player for that position in the top six clubs of EPL. Granit Xhaka and Mohammed Elneny have often been deployed to fill in that role and both the players have flattered to deceive constantly.
So, now as the club looks set to have a major overhaul in the summer, Napoli’s midfielder Allan is being linked to a move to Arsenal. The Gunners are said to be interested in his services and quality and this seems to be an interesting transfer case altogether.
Who is Allan?
Essentially a deep-lying playmaker, Allan is capable of playing in central midfield as well. His passing ability and range are intricate as the player seems to be well drilled in picking the right teammates more often than not. He is a technically adept player and possesses great balance and control on the ball.
His close-control is praiseworthy too as Allan gets his way past three-four opponents with relative ease. Allan usually plays from the right midfield and cuts in to create more chances through the centre. His ball-carrying abilities coupled with immaculate passing range helps him create decent goal-scoring chances.
This season, the lad has scored four times and assisted the same number of times in Napoli’s impressive run in the Serie A. The player is 27 years of age and entering the peak years of his football career. Should Arsenal make the move for such an exciting prospect then?
The answer is NO:
The Gunners have been guilty of making similar mistakes in the past and should refrain from repeating their acts again. What Arsenal need definitely need is a rock-solid defensive midfielder. They need someone who can shield their defence and thwart attacks from the centre.
The team lacks potent centre-backs at the moment and a proper defensive midfielder can do their fortunes a world of good. Nemanja Matic and Fernandinho are two examples of players who perfectly demonstrate all the qualities of a holding midfielder. Both these veterans record an impressive four defensive actions per game this season.
In contrast to that, Allan averages a mere one defensive action in each game. He is more of an attacking player, who relies on other players to break down attacks. He is good at starting off attacks, not breaking them. Though his position is perceived to be that of a holding midfielder, the reality is far from it. Arsenal already has players like Jack Wilshere and Aaron Ramsey who can initiate attacks. Now, they need someone to stop them. No matter what, Allan is certainly not the player that Arsenal need currently.
