With a deal for Jorginho edging closer to completion, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is finally set to land the midfielder he's craved since the summer transfer window slammed shut back in September.
A lot has changed since the Gunners' failed with a late swoop for Douglas Luiz : the club now find themselves five points clear at the summit of the Premier League and have moved on to bigger targets.
After sealing deals for Leandro Trossard and Jakub Kiwior, Arsenal saw two bids for Moises Caicedo rebuffed. And with Brighton reluctant to part with another of their prized assets, the sought-after midfielder is staying put - at least until the summer.
With a deal for Caicedo off the table, it emerged on Monday night that Chelsea playmaker Jorginho was instead being lined up for a shock switch across London. But although a deal for the Italy international has only been pushed through at the last minute, Jorginho has been on Arsenal's radar for a substantial period of time.
The club first registered their interest in the 31-year-old, who was then on the books at Hellas Verona, almost a decade ago. Obviously, that was a long time before Arteta and the current Arsenal regime - but an old video clip which has resurfaced on social media has highlighted that the Spaniard has always been a big fan of the Chelsea ace.
After a match at Stamford Bridge back in 2020, Arteta could be seen walking off with his arm around Jorginho congratulating the midfielder, who had scored and impressed during the match. Unsurprisingly, the midfield maestro was linked with a move to the Gunners just a few months after that gesture in the summer of 2020.
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At the time, Chelsea had no appetite to sell to a direct rival. But he circumstances surrounding a deal have changed: Jorginho was due to become a free agent in the summer after running down his deal in west London and the Blues are miles behind their London rivals at in the Premier League.
With the Blues in the midst of a rebuild, and a chasing a British-record transfer for Enzo Fernandez, cashing in on Jorginho makes sense. Graham Potter certainly has a vast array of options to call upon to deputise for the former Napoli maestro.
For Arsenal, who are chasing their first domestic title in 19 years, they gain a player with a winning pedigree: Jorginho has won the Champions League and the European Championships with Chelsea and Italy respectively.
He will add some nous and experience to the young Arsenal team that has thrived under Arteta this season - two years after the Gunners boss originally attempted to pinch him.
