The days of Arsenal buying Chelsea players surplus to requirements seemed long gone. The tables had looked to have turned when Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang rocked up on the previous deadline day in the summer.
Chelsea would fall to tenth in the table whilst Arsenal have been smashing the league and sitting top of the pile. However, just five months after that Aubameyang shock switch it appears the Gunners may be falling back into their old ways through necessity.
Desperate to sign a midfielder, Arsenal are exploring the possibility of signing Jorginho as Mikel Arteta looks to get a player who can provide the club with some guaranteed impact. The 31-year-old is potentially available, and Chelsea would be open to a sale reportedly around the £15m-£20m range.
READ MORE: Arsenal cannot risk transfer window failure repeat amid Moises Caicedo talks and Partey dilemma
Although the Italian is someone that Arteta has liked for some time, having been initially linked with a move back in 2020 before the arrival of Thomas Partey, the Italian is now 31 and has arguably reached the end of his peak years and won’t offer Arsenal what he has shown in even the recent past.
Arsenal remodelled their recruitment strategy almost from the first summer that Arteta took charge. Although the likes of William arrived, they also signed Gabriel Magalhaes; an at-the-time sub-23-year-old player who has become a key part of the team.
Each following summer Arsenal have worked to overhaul the age profile of the squad with more young players. Even as recently as this January, the Gunners have added 22-year-old Jakub Kiwior.
There is a potential option available for a very reasonable fee this winter too for Arsenal. Fabrizio Romano has suggested that reported Arsenal target Ibrahima Bamba is available for potentially as little as €7million (£6.2million).
Bamba, a 20-year-old defensive midfielder who can also play centre-half, is a highly rated player who is plying his trade in Portugal for Vitoria Guimaraes. Roberto Mancini has already shown appreciation for Bamba calling him up to train with the senior Italy squad.
He fits the model, he’s performed against top talent, and he’s available for a near-risk-free transfer fee this window - surely this is a no-brainer. His fee is so small there’s an argument if Mikel Arteta wants Jorginho that badly you could sign both with Albert Sambi Lokonga and Mohamed Elneny potentially departing in the summer and still leaving room for Declan Rice who Arsenal want as a priority, football.london understands.
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