Morgan Schneiderlin impressed once again last Sunday, capitalising on a Ipswich Town defensive mix-up to slot home an equaliser. That was actually his third goal in thirteen games this year, which isn’t a bad return for a defensive midfielder.
The young Frenchman is really building up a reputation for being one of the best players in his position in the Premier League. He’s defensively astute, but he’s also a good all rounder. He can slide into tackles, win the ball back, break up play and thread a pass. He’s also smart enough to know when to break formation by making a marauding run into the opponent’s penalty box.
Is it any wonder that Arsenal keep getting linked to him? Arsene Wenger loves versatility in footballers and Morgan Schneiderlin certainly qualifies in this regard. He’d be a significant improvement over The Gunners’ current options (the likes of Mikel Arteta, Mathieu Flamini and Francis Coquelin).
Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the 25-year-old is going to be moving on any time soon. Check out these quotes from the player himself: “It’s always difficult to leave in January. I think I’ll finish the season at Southampton and we’ll see what will happen next. I don’t set my mind on these things anymore.” (Source: The Metro)
In one respect, he’s right: big players don’t really switch clubs in the January transfer window. But Arsenal’s need is so pressing that they may well be looking for a player of Morgan Schneiderlin’s ability. They’ve spent big during the winter transfer window before and I’m sure they will this time.
The Frenchman may not be setting his mind on ‘these things’ at the moment, but if Arsenal come knocking, I’m sure he’ll have his head turned (again). Southampton are having an excellent season, but The Gunners offer better long-term prospects and they can probably raise his pay as well.
This all looks a little unlikely, but I’ll certainly keep my fingers crossed that this deal isn’t dead yet. There’s no use waiting until the summer. The Gunners need him now.
What’s your take? Could Arsenal end up closing a deal for Morgan Schneiderlin? Will they have to wait until the summer?
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