Would this £32.5m midfield sensation improve Arsenal?

The strength of the Belgian international team is astounding. They’ve got such a collection of gifted players (Jan Vertgonhen, Eden Hazard, Marouane Fellaini, Christian Benteke, the list goes on…), that it’s difficult not to see them cracking a major tournament some time soon. Primary among these players is Axel Witsel.

When he’s not copying Fellaini’s hair-style, Witsel is often found in central midfield, controlling possession, spreading play and looking for gaps in between defenders. The fleet-footed Belgian is also capable of dipping into his bag of tricks and beating his man.

Interestingly, Witsel was recently asked whether he’d like to play his football in the Premier League. Here was his response:

“I keep a goal in the back of my mind. I’m not saying it has to happen now, I don’t know when it could be done. But it must be a top club.” (Source: The Mirror)

This strikes me as pretty exciting news. Especially as The Mirror claims that both Arsenal and Manchester United are interested in snapping him up.

Witsel is likely to appeal to Arsene Wenger thanks to his versatility. The Belgian currently plays in the centre-of-the-park, but he’s also capable of playing directly behind the striker or out on the right wing. Given the way that Wenger moves his midfielders about, I’m sure he’ll have his eye on Witsel.

He’s never exactly been a prolific goalscorer. In 46 performances for Zenit, he’s bagged 5 goals (the same number he scored whilst at Benfica for two years). But he does have a fantastic all-round game. He’s your typical all-action midfielder, with bags of energy a great engine and a desire to get forward and support the attack.

There’s a reason why Zenit were willing to spend £32.5m on Witsel a year or so ago. Once upon a time this price-tag would have put the Gunners out of the running. But the signing of Mesut Ozil seems to have put Arsenal on an entirely different playing field.

All of a sudden, Witsel is the kind of player that Arsenal can and should be chasing. Yes, Arsene Wenger’s midfield is already pretty congested, but when it comes to talent like Axel Witsel, it’s difficult to say no.

What’s your take? Should Arsene Wenger make a move for Axel Witsel, or do they already have enough gifted midfielders?

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