Yoann Gourcuff is a genuine enigma. In his time, he’s earned comparisons to the likes of Zinedine Zidane, but he’s also played out most of his career at mid-grade clubs, spent more time on physio’s bench than he’d care to admit and failed to meet his potential.
The fact remains, he could still go on to play regular football for a big club and become a genuine star. At 27-years-old, however, time is running out. Surely it’s about time for him to step his game up?
Where better to do this than at the Emirates, the home of talented French footballers.
Indeed, when it comes to helping footballers meet their potential, Arsene Wenger is your man. Just look at the way he’s marshalled Aaron Ramsey (and many other players before him) through a tough period in his career into a rich vein of form.
If anybody were to get the most out of Gourcuff, it’d be Arsene Wenger. He’s also accustomed to dealing with injury magnets, having stuck by Abou Diaby for a number of years to little reward.
He’s currently under contract with Lyon until 2015. According to The Star, club president Jean-Michel Aulas has offered Gourcuff a two-year extension to his deal, but only on the condition that his wages are slashed.
The French play-maker is currently pocketing £90k-a-week. It’s not clear how substantial his pay-cut would be, but it does seem that Gourcuff isn’t too happy with the situation.
It’s not that he won’t take a pay-cut. It’s just that he doesn’t want to take one if he has to play for Lyon. Check out these quotes from Aulas earlier this year:
“All that I know, if I understood correctly, is that he was ready to lower his salary to go to Arsenal, but that’s not the same thing [as taking a pay-cut to play for Lyon].”
Whether Arsenal need another talented creative midfielder may be up for debate. You’d have to think that his signing would put an end to Abou Diaby’s Arsenal career. There’s only so much room in the sick bay after all!
Given the player’s potential and Arsene Wenger’s ability to act as a catalyst, I’d argue that this may be a risk worth taking. The fact that he’d be willing to take a pay-cut suggests he’s fired up and ready for a new challenge. Let’s see if Wenger offers him one.
What’s your take? Should Arsenal be interested in Yoann Gourcuff, or should they steer clear?
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Stay aay as far as possible from this bull**it romour.
AFC would nver ever consider this type of player.
What is the point of getting another midfielder? A top quality striker is needed to help Giroud and the team move forward.
The is no room in Arsenal midfield for him. Rosicky is better than Gourcuff, and even Rosicky will find it difficult to break into the starting XI when most midfielders are fit. Gnarby is a better prospect, he will need time on the pitch. Ox will need time. Gourcuff will add nothing to what we already have.
With d curreted mifd we have we did need him.pls wenger should go 4 top striker up gunners
Pls we don’t need him we more than enough midfielders & we don’t a charity organisation,please wenger in the God beware of him,all we need is a perfect keeper & a agile & strong attacker like suarez