Arsenal: The problem with the Leon Goretzka transfer rumors

Arsenal have been heavily tied to Leon Goretzka for a free in the summer, but there is one big problem that isn’t exactly being addressed.

Arsenal’s search for a midfield solution is a tricky thing. With the number of midfielders we have, there would have to be a massive trimming of the stock before someone new could come in. This is Arsene Wenger‘s line of thinking, after all.

That said, Leon Goretzka is something special. At just 22 years old, the German is arguably the best young midfielder in the game today. He’s a stellar ball winner, an aerial threat, a free kick wizard and an attacking genius. He has everything you could want in a midfielder and then some.

So, amongst the clamor for a defensive midfielder, it might be curious to hear Goretzka thrown in there, as he isn’t one. He’s as much a defensive midfielder as Aaron Ramsey is.

But to a certain extent, that should make us more optimistic, because Wenger will always prefer the multi-faceted midfielder over the strictly defensive one.

The problem, though, isn’t in the appeal of the player but the logic of the manager. I can’t even pin this all on Wenger though. The problem that we have with Goretzka and a potential move to Arsenal is that we already have Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, both of whom do exactly what Goretzka does, both of whom have copious amounts of faith poured into them and both of whom are in their prime.

There is one, big solution that I think we can all look at as the yellow brick road. It all depends on the formation.

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If we end up back with the back four, then there will certainly be room for Goretzka. That midfield would be dynamic and packed with versatile attacking and defensive options. But the defensive predicament would not be solved with the addition of Goreztka. If nothing else, it would be pushed further into the dark.

Assuming we stick with the back three, the solution would be to allow Ramsey or Wilshere (or even Goretzka) to play further forward alongside Mesut Ozil, but neither of those three players is likely to be a go-to or Wenger in filling the Alexis gap.

Which means that, chances are, Wilshere, Ramsey and Goretzka could not exist in the same formation at the same time. They could, of course, but I am channeling my inner Wenger to make this claim.

Plus, my biggest, biggest pause is that I can hear Wenger now. “We already have Wilshere and Ramsey playing box-to-box and Elneny is capable as well, erm.”

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I have hope. Still. Goretzka is the type of talent you don’t just pass up on because you have similar players. But Wenger has done exactly that in the past.

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