Arsenal: Why Xherdan Shaqiri makes sense despite Alexis parallel

Arsenal need help on the wings, and while Xherdan Shaqiri may not be on the forefront of a lot of people’s minds, he should be. And here’s why.

I don’t often get caught up in the hype. Which is hard to do, being an Arsenal lover. But after seeing the Switzerland vs Serbia match and knowing what we know about what was asked of Xherdan Shaqiri, I’m going to allow myself to get taken by the hype.

But don’t worry, it’s not all about impulse. It’s about bargain hunting, too.

There is a minuscule £12m release clause in effect with Shaqiri. Meaning all the Gunners would have to do is ante up a tiny amount of money and they could solve their problems out wide without even making a dent in the transfer budget.

Both Gelson Martins and Shaqiri would be the talent that you need, hands down. The competitions makes itself.

I’ve heard to arguments against Shaqiri. He plays a very similar, selfish game as Alexis Sanchez, who we parted ways with primarily because of the way he played, and how it wasn’t conducive to the style that the Gunners were trying to play as a unit.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

But to that, I offer this counter-argument. When things were good, Alexis’s style didn’t really get in the way. He happened to fizzle as the club fizzled. He died out as the club were drowning.

They’ve been pulled up, out of the water, and handed a new lease on life with dynamic players and a brand new philosophy of high-octane football under Unai Emery. Shaqiri fits that. He is inconsistent, yes. But it’s not like Arsenal would be relying on him. They can take the good and bench the bad.

Not just that, but what was most telling about his game against Serbia was that it was made known that Switzerland head coach Vladimir Petković challenged Shaqiri to do more.

He did more.

Not just with the goal, but overall. He was an innovator, doing all he could to make things happen. He is a self-starter that, with motivation, can turn the tides of the game.

You don’t find that for £12m anywhere. Give him the challenge of rising to the occasion and see what happens. Worst case, it doesn’t work.

Next: Arsenal Complete 2017/18 Player Ratings

Best case, you unlock a long-known vault of talent and utilize it, even in small amounts, to turn the tides of even one game. It’s a no-lose situation. Get on this hype wagon with me.

Home/Arsenal Transfer Rumours