Arsenal: Jean Michael Seri could facilitate necessary overhaul

Arsenal may be forced to make some sneaky pick-ups this summer, but they could do far worse than Jean Michael Seri, who could change the game.

Arsenal have been put off the chase of several high-profile stars, given the likelihood that they miss out on Champions League football for the first time in two decades. That massive bargaining chip will be off the table and it will take all hands on deck to facilitate an overhaul with the resources at hand.

That being said, there are options, and OGC Nice’s Jean MIchael Seri is one such option.

Seri made it perfectly clear what he was looking for in a team. His words, as quoted by the Guardian:

"There are a lot of clubs that follow me. But there is nothing done. If I leave, it will be to join a club where there is a real desire to play football as in Nice. And I’m not going to be on the bench, I’m leaving only if I know I’m going to play."

That means that the Gunners won’t be able to offer him a bit-part role where he fights for a job. He needs to be part of the big picture.

Which, given the overhaul that is needed, isn’t the worst idea in the world. It could actually be a brilliant step to change things.

Seri is a speedy, quick-thinking creator that could fit seamlessly into one of Arsenal’s two central attacking roles currently held by the two want-aways Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez. Everyone could see against Tottenham that the Gunners attack was just too slow and in a 3-4-3 focused on counter-attacking, that just does’t make since.

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Assuming Alexis and Ozil leave and Arsenal are struggling to attract big names because of the lack of Champions League appeal, Seri is a fantastic chance to make needed changes by banking on a solid, reliable option.

Seri has racked up some impressive stats, proving himself to be a scorer and a creator, but he also poaches opposing passing lanes, which that Gunners desperately need. Just as important – he isn’t lose with the ball. That is crucial to those attacking midfield positions because both Alexis and Ozil have been too lax with the ball and it’s led to frustrating amounts of turnovers.

Seri isn’t a sure-fire bet, but you can do much worse. He has the work rate we want to see, the tenacity that we lack and the creativity to uplift a stale attack. Couple him with another similar sort (Ousmane Dembele, Max Meyer) in those two attacking midfield roles and this spear point takes on a whole new potency.

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There are a handful of things the Gunners need to invest in, but better attacking options, to alleviate the need for guys like Theo Walcott and the burgeoning Alex Iwobi, have to rank near the top.

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