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Arsenal handed mixed Yves Bissouma transfer news
Across this dismal Arsenal season various concerns have been dished up, many of which have stemmed around the quality of the squad. It’s weak and unbalanced, with no areas expressing that more than in midfield. Yves Bissouma would change that.
Seeing Granit Xhaka move to left-back and then the entire midfield collapse as a result with the decision to then field Thomas Partey as a single pivot with two No. 8’s who are not physically built to manage that workload has made the issue even clearer.
Then, when taking Xhaka out of the equation, Mohamed Elneny and Dani Ceballos are the two players left to fill the central midfield void, a duo who should be further away from starting football matches for Arsenal than Amaury Bischoff.
Elneny gets a pass as he’s a squad player at best, whereas Ceballos would’ve been better off taking a year-long sabbatical. He mostly has.
Yves Bissouma asks to be allowed to leave Brighton amidst interest from Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Marseille. https://t.co/wcdspABtKq pic.twitter.com/UBM7uUZT0b
— Duncan Castles (@DuncanCastles) May 9, 2021
Arsenal handed mixed Yves Bissouma transfer news ahead of summer window as Mikel Arteta eyes Brighton midfielder
That area of the pitch is in need of severe bolstering with Xhaka and Partey the only two legitimately worthy of staying, with physicality, intelligence and press resistance urgently needed.
Arsenal’s interest in Yves Bissouma is longstanding. He’s been on Mikel Arteta’s radar since the moment he took charge, with the club keeping a watchful eye on him even before that. Since moving to Brighton from Lille in 2018, the Malian has been developing at a magnificent rate, improving year upon year and garnering rave reviews for his displays in the Seagulls’ engine room.
Without Partey the midfield lacks athleticism, and while Bissouma is not as fine-tuned as the Ghanaian, he’s nevertheless hugely combative, relentless and solid across all facets.
A underrated ball progressor and carrier, his fierce nature on the pitch and superb work ethic see him cover every blade of grass. Arsenal don’t own the midfield anymore, there is nowhere near enough stability in that area to allow forward players to flourish. Signing Bissouma has to be near the top of Arsenal’s wishlist.
As per The Times, he is, although the news on his potential signing is mixed.