Arsenal: No, Mario Gotze doesn’t help

Mario Gotze is reportedly being linked with a move for Arsenal. Again. But this time, the German midfielder does not help, however exciting his name may be.

As the World Cup really begins to hit its groove as the final first round of group-stage matches get underway on Monday, the underlying rumbles of the transfer window continue. For Arsenal, even though much of their business under a tight budget is ostensibly completed and is merely waiting for official confirmation, that means that the rumours perpetually and relentlessly continue to arise.

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The latest is somewhat audacious: Borussia Dortmund midfielder Mario Gotze, who has forever been linked with a potential move to the Emirates, is again rumoured to eye a Premier League transfer, with the Gunners one of his possible destinations.

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The German World Cup winner, famously smashing home the winner in the 2014 final after coming off the bench, has suffered a torrid time with injury and illness in recent years, making more than 15 league appearances in just two of the past four seasons. After returning to Borussia Dortmund two years ago, he has made just 28 Bundesliga starts and 11 starts in European competition.

The attacking midfielder is not necessarily to blame for his unavailability. Gotze was diagnosed with a metabolic disorder that causes muscle fatigue and weakness and cost him five months of the 2016/17 season. When he returned to the Dortmund team in the preseason of the 2017/18 campaign, it took him some time to re-discover his best form, only recording two goals and three assists in 19 league starts.

Adding a player with such an injury and illness record is risky. Gotze may still only be 26 and has the time to develop and fulfil the inordinate potential that he hinted at during his early Dortmund years, but that does not mean that he helps Arsenal in the here and now. Because, not only is he an unreliable prospect, but he’s the wrong prospect.

If there is anything that Unai Emery does not need to be added to his squad, it is another pocket-seeking, space-drifting, inside-cutting attacking midfielder. He has plenty of them already: Mesut Ozil, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alex Iwobi, Aaron Ramsey, Jack Wilshere. All would like to play that position if they were afforded the opportunity.

What’s the difference between Gotze and Mkhitaryan? There isn’t one, really. And that is the key. Arsenal need something different, a player that offers variety to their attack, a new element that can take their offence to a new level. Gotze is not that player.

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He may be a fancy name. He may be a World Cup winner. Joachim Low may have compared him to Messi. But Gotze doesn’t help. He’s unreliable and unnecessary, and that is not a good combination whatsoever.