Arsenal May Have Transfer Needs Negated By Jon Toral

Arsenal have some moving around to do this summer. However, Jon Toral may already have himself a spot carved out in this Arsenal side.

No matter how you look at it, Jon Toral has earned himself a first-team look this summer. He has had two incredibly successful loans in a row between Brentford and nor Birmingham City. Between the two loans, he, a midfielder, has scored twelve goals for teams he can’t even call his own. That is something pretty special.

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Toral’s accomplishments have been highlighted by City boss Gary Rowett.

“I know Jon is not our player, but he feels like he is because he’s been here all year. He’s a great lad, really humble, he works hard and he’s enjoying his football. Ultimately when you see a player of that quality and also that stature – he’s six feet one, great in the air, strong, has got a great touch and scores goals like that (against Ipswich), I still see a chance for him to potentially play in the Premier League with Arsenal.” He said, via the Birmingham Mail. 

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The praise was not finished. “What Jon is good at is that he finds space and knows where the space is and is very clever. Against Derby, he was the difference in my opinion, in terms of his counter-attacking. He gets us out and up the pitch running forwards with his positional sense.”

All of Rowett’s points highlight some crucial pieces of a potential Premier League talent. Finding space, big in stature, ability to score, pushing the attack forward – that is all stuff you need in a midfielder and it is not a combination that Arsenal have a lot of, at least not in one person.

Aaron Ramsey has those abilities. Not so much the stature, but he’s no shrimp. Cazorla has a lot of that but definitely not the stature or the goals. Ozil has some, but he doesn’t push runs forward, as he is usually already forward. Coquelin can do it all except attack.

So what we have in Jon Toral is someone that has a predetermined spot on this Arsenal squad. If he can continue to improve upon his Championship successes and convert it into pliable Premier League ability, then Arsenal have a lot of their incoming voids already filled.

With Arteta, Rosicky and Flamini set to leave this summer and Cazorla just a couple years off, Toral could essentially account for the replacement of all three as well as potentially Cazorla. He has better size and athleticism than Arteta and Flamini, he can push runs forward and score like Rosicky and he can find space like Cazorla. And he is just one man.

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What this does is it gives Arsenal greater transfer flexibility because, while they would like to fill all three of the initial slots with new bodies, they don’t have to go after anything specific, as Toral provides it all. They could even opt for some wild card signings. Or, and I hope this doesn’t get me tarred and feathered, they may not even have to buy anyone.

If the latter is decided, that will leave some openings for youngsters like Jeff Reine-Adelaide, Gedion Zelalem and Krystian Bielik. And it’s not like it would leave Arsenal too short-staffed. In this scenario, Arsenal would have Coquelin, Ramsey, Cazorla, Elneny, Ozil, Toral and Wilshere, whenever he is fit. That’s a pretty solid stable of midfielders.

Even in the present day, Rosicky, Arteta and Flamini do not factor into the plans much, if at all. So losing these three is not exactly going to be detrimental.

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Toral is beginning to grow into that talent that Barcelona had him pegged for and he is going to find plenty of opportunity at Arsenal come this summer and next season. His situation is much like Chuba Akpom’s. It’s there if he wants it. All he has to do is take it.