Arsenal were on the hunt for a midfielder on transfer deadline day, with football.london understanding that a deal for Aston Villa's Douglas Luiz was actively being pursued. But after three rejected bids by Villa, the Gunners were unable to secure a signing.
The need to strengthen in the midfield area was evident at the start of the transfer window. This was made even more clear when injuries suffered to Thomas Partey and Mohammed Elneny during the early weeks of the season had seriously weakened Mikel Arteta’s options in the middle of the park.
Due to Arsenal’s decision not to strengthen the midfield in the final weeks of the summer window, it has meant that the transfer attention has been switched to January with the hopes that the Gunners will spend then. However, it seems Luiz has ruled himself out of a potential move meaning that Edu will need to explore alternatives.
READ MORE: Arsenal success gives Edu a key negotiation tool for dream transfer amid discontent at Barcelona
Luiz has snubbed a potential switch to Arsenal in January by signing a new contract extension with the Villans on Friday. The Brazilian put pen to paper on a deal that lasts until 2026, claiming he is happy to stay at Villa Park for the long-term.
This could be considered a blow for the Gunners as Arteta needs bolster his options in the midfield even when every player in that position is fit and available. But, with Luiz out of the picture, Arsenal have the perfect alternative in Ruben Neves.
According to the Sunday Express, the Gunners are hoping to move ahead of Liverpool and Manchester United in their pursuit of Wolves midfielder Neves. The Gunners are known to be admirers of the Portuguese international after being heavily linked last season.
So far in this campaign, Neves ranks third in the Premier League for the most tackles as he has taken the ball from his opponent on 28 occasions. This part of Neves’ game has certainly gone under the radar as he is more known for his on-the-ball-attributes, but it seems that the midfielder has added an extra element to his game.
And this element could be extremely useful for Arsenal as Edu must look to sign more midfield reinforcements. Granit Xhaka and Thomas Partey are two players whose place in the team are currently untouchable. Albert Sambi Lokogna and Mohammed Elneny are the two backup players, but their levels in terms of experience and quality do not compare with the two starters.
Neves would be able to bridge the quality gap, and a deal could be easier to complete as Wolves ramped up their transfer business and the midfielder is yet to sign a new contract with his current deal expiring at the end of the next season.
With Partey already missing a couple of games this season it has sent a reminder that Arsenal need to address the midfield department. The detriment of his absence was already highlighted in this campaign when Arteta’s side travelled to Old Trafford on the back of five consecutive wins. Arsenal struggled in the midfield against United, and ultimately lost 3-1 as Albert Sambi Lokonga came in to replace Partey, proving that without the Ghanaian in the team, the Gunners become a much weaker force.
Neves’ excellent tackling statistics shows that he can operate in the no.6 role. There also been times this season where he has been tasked with dropping to centre-back for Wolves, highlighting that he has the necessary defensive awareness.
His range of passing and ability to strike the ball also makes him a useful option in the no.8 role. Neves would certainly be an excellent alternative to Luiz and it is a transfer that Edu should continue to explore.
READ NEXT:
Every word Mikel Arteta said on Turner's distribution, Saliba concern and Arsenal desire
Why Granit Xhaka shouted at Matt Turner as Mikel Arteta's Arsenal prediction is proved right
Arsenal dealt major transfer blow as Aston Villa star Douglas Luiz signs new contract
Takehiro Tomiyasu’s Leeds selection and the Arsenal tactical question Mikel Arteta must answer
Arsenal news and transfers LIVE: All the latest news, rumours and gossip from the Emirates Stadium
