Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta plans to hand Gabriel Jesus a rare startplaceholder image
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta plans to hand Gabriel Jesus a rare start | AFP via Getty Images
Arsenal will be recruiting from a position of strength in January with a priority target lighting up the African Cup of Nations.
Arsenal’s starting XI doesn’t quite pick itself, although Mikel Arteta’s side now has a level of consistency that makes rotation easy.
Every player knows their role in the well-oiled machine with the squad depth on display at Bournemouth enough to send shivers down opposition managers’ spines. What won’t help them to sleep at night are the reports that The Gunners are looking to add more fire power to their forward line. Rodrygo at Real Madrid has been linked with a £52m offer and Arteta has his eyes on another Galactico if reports are to be believed.
Arsenal make Brahim Diaz offer
With a settled and well-balanced squad, recruitment should be easier in that there is no longer a need to sign numerous players. Instead, adding individuals who can supplement what is already in the squad as well as offering something different should be targets for the recruitment team.
According to Fichajes, Arsenal have offered £44m for Brahim Diaz, the former Man City academy graduate who is currently the top goalscorer at the African Cup of Nations for Morocco. The report also claims that Arteta has labelled Diaz as a ‘priority’ signing.
With just four starts for Real Madrid this season and only one year left on his contract with Los Blancos, it is expected that Diaz will be allowed to leave and that Xabi Alonso won’t be too disappointed about having a space in his squad to fill and budget on the wage bill available to spend.
Diaz has a combined 44 goals and assists in 139 appearances for Madrid but has never reached the heights expected of him. What the 26-year old winger, who is comfortable on either foot, would offer, is competition for Bukayo Saka, Leandro Trossard, Martin Gabrielli and Noni Madueke.
Pep Guardiola wasn’t happy about Diaz leaving City
Pepe Guardiola was City boss when Diaz left the Premier League for La Liga and he wasn’t very subtle about letting the player know he wasn’t happy.
"Hopefully other players won't decide to move on," said Guardiola, via Sky Sports. "I don't want people who don't want to stay here, to be with us and try to achieve what we want to achieve. If players want to stay, the door is always open for them."
When asked if he was disappointed Diaz had left the club, Guardiola replied "no" but added: "I wish him all the best. Players win opportunities on the field. You have to take a look at all big clubs in Europe at how many young players there are in their first teams. Young players need time - David Silva for example, he went on loan to big clubs to become what he is right now. Some players have patience, some don't. The players, their family, their agent; they decide what is best for them."
Diaz has got ability and can cause opposition defenders problems, however, there should be doubts about his desire to fulfil his potential and whether or not he would be willing to buy into the team-first ethos that Arteta has instilled.
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