Arsenal: Aaron Ramsey replacement must have specific skill set

Arsenal must replace Aaron Ramsey this summer, with Andre Gomes the latest name to be linked. But whoever they sign must have a specific skill set, one that Gomes does not possess.

Aaron Ramsey is a fabulous footballer. Blessed with terrific athleticism, stamina and technical quality, he is a complete midfielder capable of playing in almost any position at a high standard. But even more than being an excellent player, he is an extremely rare type of player, one that is not easily found.

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The goalscoring midfielder is an incredibly valuable asset. While every good team needs a striker to score 20-plus goals a season, it is the added goals from midfield that make the real difference, whether that be from wide players or central midfielders.

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For Arsenal, this nigh-on-essential asset has been Ramsey. And he has been excellent at it, with Arsene Wenger comparing him to Frank Lampard, arguably the best goalscoring midfielder in the world during his time with Chelsea. So when it comes to replacing Ramsey this summer, as the club will have to do with the Welshman departing for pastures new in Turin at the expiration of his contract, they cannot just pick up any old player. They must search for a very specific skill set.

This brings me to the recent reports that the Gunners are considering a move for current Everton and Barcelona midfield Andre Gomes, who has played exemplary for on loan at Goodison Park this season. The ball-playing central midfielder is integral to Marco Silva’s side, dictating play with an exquisite passing range from deeper-lying positions. He has performed superbly in the Premier League and is attracting interest from around Europe should Barcelona seek to offload him.

Gomes would be a perfectly good signing for Arsenal, should they be seeking an orchestrating playmaker to anchor the midfield. But Ramsey is not that type of midfielder, not by any stretch, and to expect Gomes to replicate the impact Ramsey has on the team would be utterly misguided.

Ramsey’s skill set is based on athleticism, energy, a relentless work rate allied with clever play and soft touch. Gomes may have the latter, but he does not possess the same legs as Ramsey, instead choosing to dictate play with his passing, rather than haring around the pitch, chasing after the ball like a crazed dog.

He also is not a goalscorer or creator, and this is the most pertinent point. He has one goal and one assist in 26 Premier League matches for Everton. Last season, he played 629 La Liga minutes for Barcelona and failed to notch a goal or an assist. The year prior, he featured in just short of 1600 La Liga minutes and scored just three goals and recorded one assist. He has never scored more than four league goals in any season.

Ramsey is more than just a central midfielder. He is a central midfielder who scores goals. And that makes him inexorably difficult to replace. Andre Gomes may be a very tidy footballer, but he is no Ramsey replacement, not by any stretch.