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Arsenal Should be Happy Morgan Schneiderlin Went to Manchester United
By Josh Sippie
So many reputable sources out there said that Morgan Schneiderlin was a done deal to come to Arsenal. The move was supposed to go through in the winter window, but it never did. Personally, I never saw the need to bring in the guy. Francis Coquelin is better defensively, Santi Cazorla is better offensively, Aaron Ramsey is better all-around and Jack Wilshere is a wild card.
Plus, for 25 million pounds, their was one word on my mind: Why?
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I do not doubt that Morgan Schneiderlin is a great footballer. He played some great football at Southampton over the years, but to unload that much money on a guy that you expect to be a major player on your team immediately did not make sense to Arsenal. It was not perfect.
But to United, it worked out.
This move comes in the wake of Bastian Schweinsteiger making the move to Old Trafford and you have to wonder how United plan to utilize their new Frenchman.
Traditionally used as a holding midfielder, Schneiderlin and Schweinsteiger (whose names combine to form a typists nightmare) play the exact same position, and one that has been manned by Marouane Fellaini (these names, though) and a host of other signings, new and old.
To unload that kind of money on a midfielder, you expect to utilize him right away, at least that is what I assume.
And that brings me to my next hang up. Morgan Schneiderlin has no real competitive European experience. It has been all Southampton and nothing else. For a team like United that is trying to claw their way back into a top three that is looking more and more crowded, Schneiderlin is not a vital piece. He is a decent enough depth signing, but no depth signing is worth 25 million pounds.
I could very much see this playing out like Angel Di Maria. Arsenal may have been in on Di Maria as well, but they opted for the half-priced Alexis Sanchez instead. The results speak for themselves and prove that smart business does not mean buying the most expensive guy. Di Maria flopped, Alexis succeeded.
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Hopefully, Morgan Schneiderlin does not have massive expectations on him, because I do not see how he could live up to them. He is no sort of ‘savior.’ Plus, he is going to be in one crowded mix to even make it on the pitch.
Granted, if he does not live up to the 25 million pound fee, it is not like United are going to be upset about it. They have a lot of dough.
That being said, I will get to my point of why Arsenal should be happy to see him go to United. It will prove yet again that Arsene Wenger is a shrewd, smart businessman. He does not buy just to buy. I am sure Louis van Gaal did his homework and did not just mail out a check without covering his bases, but I think we will see this year that Mogan Schneiderlin was not worth 25 million pounds. Just like we saw last year that Angel Di Maria was not worth 60 million pounds and Falcao was not worth whatever they paid for him either.
Next: Arsene Wenger Smiting Transfer Rumors?