Arsenal: Flexibility key for Denis Suarez signing

There is a reported disagreement in Arsenal’s potential loan signing of Denis Suarez: A summer obligation to buy. The Gunners must ensure they have flexibility.

Arsenal’s move for Barcelona midfielder Denis Suarez is in trouble. The former Valencia attacker, who has played under Unai Emery previously, and this is thought to be a major motivator in the Gunners’ eagerness to strike a deal, has been the subject of a loan enquiry on behalf of the north London club.

Find the Pain in the Arsenal Podcast here – The 2018 Review

Initially, it was thought that Suarez might move to the Emirates in a £15 million move. But when Emery publicly conceded that Arsenal cannot afford a permanent transfer in the January window, it was quickly realised that if a deal was to be completed, it would be on a loan basis.

More from Pain in the Arsenal

• 3 standout players from 1-0 victory over Everton
• 3 positives & negatives from Goodison Park victory
• Arsenal vs PSV preview: Prediction, team news & lineups
• 3 talking points from Arsenal’s victory at Goodison Park
• Mikel Arteta provides Gabriel Martinelli injury update after Everton win

Progress was then made, with both teams clearly wanting an agreement to be made. Barcelona signed Kevin Prince-Boateng to replace Suarez and it seemed as though a deal may well be secured. But then problems struck again, with Barcelona once more concerned with securing what they believed as value for a talented if under-utilised player. Barcelona wanted to insert a summer obligation to buy at £18 million. Arsenal, naturally, refused.

According to Football.London, the obligation was then replaced with an option to buy, but Barcelona demanded that Suarez extended his contract, which is set to expire in 18 months, a further, again, with an eye on preserving his value in the transfer market should Arsenal choose to not take up the option. Suarez, though, rejected that proposal, keen on leaving the Nou Camp as soon as possible. Back to the drawing board.

It is important that Raul Sanllehi and Emery do not tie themselves to Suarez with an obligation to buy. Suarez is a vastly unproven player with a lack of Premier League experience and little success at the elite level, struggling to establish himself at Barcelona. If they were to push through with this deal, it is not inconceivable that they could again get stuck with an underperforming player on an ugly contract.

This is what happened with Alexis Sanchez. The club had no choice but to sell and they had to take on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, paying over the odds to push through the deal. They have since been stuck with a £200,000-a-week contract for a player who is not very productive and is now not seen as a surefire member of the starting XI.

Suarez would be a nice short-term depth addition for the remainder of the season. But without seeing him play for those six months, it would be exceptionally naive for Emery and Sanllehi to commit to a permanent transfer, even if it comes in the summer.

Arsenal have gotten themselves stuck because they have lacked flexibility in the transfer market because of the contractual decisions they have made. Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, Aaron Ramsey, expensive depth players. These have forced their hand. Suarez could easily be the exact the same. Flexibility this summer is absolutely vital. An obligation to buy does not give it.