It May Be Time for Mikel Arteta to Land Arsenal’s Perfect Granit Xhaka Replacement

It may be about time Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta finally secured the ideal replacement for Granit Xhaka, pushing his Arsenal project to the next level.

After a superb 2022/23 campaign as Arsenal’s left central midfielder (LCM), Granit Xhaka opted to leave the club. Arsenal were left with the challenge of finding someone capable of replicating Xhaka’s defensive and attacking contributions, which had empowered their left-hand side.

During the 2023 summer transfer window, Arteta identified Kai Havertz as Xhaka’s successor. Unfortunately, Havertz struggled to impress in the role. Interestingly, he thrived as Arsenal’s number nine, relinquishing the LCM position.

With Havertz’s positional switch, Declan Rice stepped in as LCM and performed decently in the role. However, the need for a specialist LCM remained one of Arsenal’s priorities for the summer of 2024.

Mikel Merino, signed from Real Sociedad, emerged as the potential answer to Arsenal’s LCM issue. Months into the 28-year-old’s Arsenal career, some Gooners remain unconvinced of his impact in the position. In fact, much like Havertz, Merino—following injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Havertz—has been appreciated more while playing as the striker.

Post-Xhaka, Arsenal still appear to lack an LCM who can truly make the position their own.

Adding to the dilemma is the club’s difficulty in signing their top midfield targets this summer. Martin Zubimendi is heavily tipped to join Real Madrid, while Bruno Guimaraes presents a significant challenge given Arsenal’s pursuit of Alexander Isak. It’s unlikely Newcastle would sell both Isak and Guimaraes, meaning Arsenal may need to prioritise their striking needs by signing Isak.

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