Former Arsenal man Jack Wilshere believes that the London club should do what it takes to land Bournemouth star Ryan Fraser this summer.
Speaking to Football.London earlier this week, the English midfielder claimed that Fraser has all the right attributes to make an impact at the Emirates, and that he is the right man for Arsenal.
“Ryan would be the ideal candidate to load the bullets for Aubameyang and Lacazette to fire up front,” Wilshere told Football.London.
“Imagine him and Ozil in the side. Imagine the number of chances they would create for the strikers.
“I always say Ozil is one of the best players I’ve ever seen and I’ve played with and worked with.
“Imagine if Arsenal had Fraser to add to the quality that Ozil can provide? They would be some team. The fans would love it.”
The Gunners are already looking at the Scottish international as an option for their midfield next season, but will have to pay the Cherries £25 million for Fraser.
However, he has just a year left on his current deal with Eddie Howe’s, which might tempt the Cherries to let him leave for the fee.
But, Where Does Ryan Fraser Fit In At Arsenal?
Emery has lost Aaron Ramsey to Juventus, leaving the side a bit short of options in the middle of the park.
The likes of Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira have added decent defensive stability to the side, but Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Mesut Ozil weren’t consistent enough, so the Gunners lacked creativity in the midfield.
To add to it, Emery had Alex Iwobi as the only player who is comfortable playing in a wide position in his first team. Their transfer budget does not allow the Gunners to spend on a world-class talent in this inflated market, which makes Fraser a really smart buy, for more reasons than one.
Capable of playing on either wing, the former Aberdeen man was one of the most impressive players in the Premier League last season, registering 14 assists, just one less than Eden Hazard, who topped the list.
The 25-year old has an excellent set-piece delivery, and his hard-working approach to the game is something Arsenal have missed last season. He is a decent crosser but is equally adept at retaining the ball in wide areas to try and find the right pass to slice open opposition defences.
Fraser is tricky with the ball at his feet and is a hard man to mark, all of which will certainly attract Emery. At just 25, he has the best part of his career ahead of him and certainly fits the bill for Arsenal.
The former Sevilla manager had Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang, one of the best strikers in Europe, playing out wide, with Alexandre Lacazette taking up the striker’s role. Though it worked at times, a player like Fraser adds a different dimension to the attack, which could be crucial next season.
Though he is not an outright winger, Fraser certainly solves an impending problem at the club and will allow them to play different systems, also giving the manager a chance to play his main players in more preferred roles.
Fraser can start on the left, can feed off of the likes of Ozil and Mkhitaryan, while creating space for Aubameyang and Lacazette, making Arsenal a stronger side. His ability to play on either wing or even as a midfielder, as he showed in his time at the Vitality, is just another reason why Arsenal should go for him.
The Scotland international may not be the world-class talent Arsenal fans want the club to sign this summer, but Fraser is just the kind of a player they need and is certainly a no brainer for the club, even at £25 million.
