Arsenal: Nabil Fekir hasn’t been relevant for awhile now

Arsenal were supposedly ‘interested’ in Nabil Fekir, and that’s great and all, but he hasn’t been of interest for some time, let’s be real.

There was a time when I thought Nabil Fekir was the greatest possible target for Arsenal to pursue. He had everything we needed – added creativity to offset Mesut Ozil, the ability to play forward to compliment his former team mate Alexandre Lacazette and the composure to be a reliable midfield presence.

This ‘time’ was last summer, when the Gunners were in a perplexing state of limbo. Ozil and Alexis Sanchez were both winding down their deals and we had no idea what was going to happen.

Fekir was the perfect solution to whichever of the two might have left. Even if both left, Fekir could fill their combined gap until more reinforcements could be brought in.

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How much things can change in a year. Now, one summer later, I have next to zero interest in Fekir coming to the Emirates.

Not because he isn’t a fantastic player – he is – but because there just isn’t anywhere to put him, barring an unexpected sale that will in no way happen.

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Since that time, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang came in to supplement Lacazette, and they have formed the most amazing bromance in the world.

Meanwhile, Henrikh Mkhitaryan came in to serve the duties of offsetting Ozil. Alexis’s absence isn’t felt at all, as both Aubameyang and Mkhitaryan did better than Alexis at his new club. The attack is completely and positively set.

That is, unless you want to start talking about attacking from wide angles, which Fekir has nothing to do with anyway. We have spent way too much time forcing central attacking midfielders into wide position and we will continue to do it with the numerous central attacking midfielders that are still on the books here at Arsenal.

I would have loved Fekir at the club and maybe I would consider what he would bring if he replaced either Ozil or Mkhitaryan, but that’s a conversation not worth having. Not at all.

The recent reports of Fekir being linked to Liverpool and Barcelona is rather condescending towards Arsenal, saying they were “gazumped” by Liverpool. But is that really the case when a team just doesn’t need a player anymore? Because the Gunners don’t need Fekir anymore.

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Again, this attack is set. It was so far from the problem all of last year, and it will only get better with the midfield bolstering.