Arsenal: Per Mertesacker Loan Defies Current State

Per Mertesacker could be set to leave Arsenal on loan. An exit, though, defies the current issues at central midfield with Jack Wilshere already on loan.

Managing a large, deep and varied squad is not an easy task. Being able to assemble a group of players who are capable of dealing with the inevitable onslaught of injuries, while also not hoarding unhappy, unfulfilled players who are simply reserved to a reserve role well below their talent, is a fine line to tread, one that Arsene Wenger has often struggled to walk along at Arsenal.

This season, the line has seen Wenger loan out Jack Wilshere thanks to his belief that he would be unable to provide him with precious game time as the now 25-year-old looks to recover from years and years of long-term injuries.

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Such a decision, though, has backfired. With Mohamed Elneny at the African Cup of Nations with Egypt, Santi Cazorla still struggling with an ailing ankle injury and now Francis Coquelin set to miss the next month with a hamstring injury, only Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey remain as viable central midfield options. When asked about whether he could use Wilshere amid the current injury crisis, Wenger stated:

"“Yes, I could use Wilshere now. What looks unfair at some moment in the season is that you know at some stage you could need the player. But even at the start you need to have the right balance between competition and numbers and chances for the player to play. And still today I think it was the right decision for him to go.”"

Imagine the concern, then, when I read this Wednesday morning that Wenger is considering loaning out Per Mertesacker to allow the German to play regularly and prove his worth as he looks to extend his stay in North London, a stay that could be set to end this summer with an expiring contract. Has he not learned?

Many will say that Arsenal have a multitude of centre-half options that make Mertesacker obsolete. However, the same was said about central midfield at the start of the season when it was revealed that Wilshere would be joining Bournemouth on a season-long loan. Wenger is seemingly blind to the current issues that he himself is having to navigate.

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Two key injuries to Shkodran Mustafi and Laurent Koscielny, and suddenly, Arsenal are left with a rash, overly-aggressive Gabriel Paulista and a 21-year-old Rob Holding who has only played a handful of games at the top level. Mertesacker may need game time but his club need his experience and his cover for injuries, especially given their current issues.

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