The transfer window closed some time back, but many clubs will already be looking to the future. January typically isn’t a time where a lot of good business gets done. It is a time, however, when clubs lay the groundwork for deals that will be done in the summer.
Clubs like Manchester United and Liverpool didn’t spend big during the last iteration of the transfer market, but I expect they’ll be busy next time around. I wonder if the same can be said of Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger bought Gabriel Paulista from Villarreal in the January transfer window and he’s now in possession of a fairly well-rounded squad that’s bursting with talent. Still, given some of their recent performances against bigger teams (Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund and Spurs spring immediately to mind), there may still be some work to be done.
With that in mind, I was interested to see The Star link Arsenal with a move for Paris Saint Germain’s well-regarded young midfielder, Marco Verratti. If The Gunners are genuinely interested, then they’re chasing an inordinately talented footballer. He’s been compared by many to Andrea Pirlo, partly as a result of his Italian nationality and partly because of his ability to pick out a pass.
Verratti has excellent vision and he’s capable of turning a game on its head with a single pass. He’s also a good dribbler who’s more than capable of winning time and space on the ball with a neat piece of skill. At just 22-years-old, it says a lot that he’s already managed to earn 10 caps for the Italian international team. His 76 appearances for PSG also speak to his ability.
It’s easy to see why Arsenal might be interested. Whether they’d be able to attract him to The Emirates is a different matter. The Star claim that PSG won’t be willing to let Verratti go for less than £40m. Arsene Wenger would have to be seriously keen on the Italian to push this one through.
It would be another transfer that would act as a statement of intent (just like Arsenal’s previous deals for Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez). I can’t help but hope that The Gunners find a way to make this happen.
What’s your take? Is Marco Verratti a viable option for this Arsenal side?
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