Arsenal: Mkhitaryan Just A Poor Man’s Ozil

Arsenal are being heavily linked to Borussia Dortmund midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. However, while he is a talented player, the Gunners already possess a world class attacking midfielder, and that man is called Mesut Ozil.

Arsene Wenger seems to have an obsession with hording talented, technical, creative attacking midfielders. From bringing in the likes of Andrey Arshavin, Samir Nasri, Alexandr Hleb and Tomas Rosicky to the more recent additions of Sanit Cazorla and Mesut Ozil, Arsenal have always possessed a plethora of attacking midfielders.

Related Story: Is Yannick Carrasco Really Needed?

Partly due to the passing orientated style of football that Wenger employs, Arsenal seem to attract these type of players and then Wenger likes to keep hold of them, with a frustrating desire to see how many he can squeeze in to his starting eleven.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 observations from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park

Arsenal have sometimes played Cazorla, Wilshere, Ozil and Ramsey all on the pitch at the same time, and it certainly harms the good of the team and the development of the players. With recent reports suggesting that Borussia Dortmund midfielder Herikh Mkhitaryan has rejected a new contract offer amidst interest from a variety of European clubs, one of which clubs are Arsenal, Wenger looks as though he may be attempting to bring in yet another attacking midfielder.

In this case, however, Mkhitaryan is not an improvement on the attacking players that are apart of the arsenal already. While the Armenian international has scored 18 goals while creating a further 20 this season, he is simply not in the same class as Ozil.

Mkhitaryan is a quality player. That much is clear. But he is not world class. There are very few that can stake a claim to being world class as Mesut Ozil is one such player. Bringing in a player like Mkhitaryan does not improve what Arsenal already have, he simply squashes the talent that is already there.

If the Dortmund star is brought to Emirates, he will not supplant Ozil as the main provider and creator of this team. He will be crow-barred in to the side as an inverted right winger. It will shrink the space that Ozil and Cazorla can work, limit the width that Arsenal attack with and stent the development of youngsters like Alex Iwobi and Serge Gnabry.

Next: Arsenal's Full Season Player Ratings

Mkhitaryan is a talented player, but he is no Mesut Ozil, so why would Arsenal by a poor man’s version of the German great?