Arsenal: Nabil Fekir and Leon Goretzka a double upgrade on Alexis, Ozil

Arsene Wenger has promised “top quality” players to replace Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil should they leave Arsenal. Here are two suggestions.

Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil were the first two big, superstar signings that Arsenal had boasted in years. Not just the monetary value, but the international recognition. These were special guys that were meant to take the club in a special direction.

Now that it hasn’t panned out all that well and their contracts are nearly up, the question is who could possibly replace their combined dynamism.

And the key isn’t just filling the gap. The key is upgrading. Because a team doesn’t get better unless they upgrade. It’s also something the Gunners have struggled with in the past when losing key players. Even Arsene Wenger has noted that he will bring in two “top quality players” should both Ozil and Alexis leave.

However, assuming both do leave, there is a remarkably cheap and easy tandem to not just replace, but upgrade on the departing superstars.

For Alexis, we turn to Nabil Fekir. Five years younger, a fantastic dribbler and creator (who also loses possession, just like Alexis) and superb in front of goal, Fekir also boasts one major upgrade that Alexis will never have again – he’d actually want to be at Arsenal.

Which goes a long way.

Fekir is supposed to be available in the summer for just £60m, which is steep, but completely worth it. He can play all the positions that Alexis plays and he has years to build his success in the Premier League.

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For Ozil, we turn to Leon Goretzka. Six years younger, just as German, a fantastic creator, goal scorer, free kick taker, ball-winner and engine, Goretzka has far more strengths than Ozil. He may not be the same magical passer or visionary, but he makes up for that by toppling his countryman’s defensive contributions, goal-scoring ability, and work rate.

The best part about him is that he is free. All Arsenal have to do is convince him to choose the Emirates over Liverpool, Bayern Munich or Barcelona. Which, given the precedence of “replacing Mesut Ozil” and already having Sead Kolasinac, shouldn’t be too hard.

There are options galore to replace Alexis and Ozil, but few options upgrade on what they brought to the club. This tandem does that. And then you connect Fekir with Alexandre Lacazette again and you connect Goretzka with Kolasinac again. It’s a win every way you look at it. And it will cost less than the total cost of Alexis and Ozil too, if the numbers hold true.

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We don’t know what will happen going forward, but at the very least we can see that there are plenty of options. Some of which are pretty damn exciting.

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