Arsenal: 5 midfield transfer targets to watch at Euro 2020

Euro 2020 is here and what better time to unwind from the daily toils of Arsenal Football Club than to watch a whole host of players you wish played for Arsenal Football Club? International tournament football is a wonderful break from club action and one year late it’s finally on our doorstep.

Given it’s being played all across Europe there is every chance that it may, quite literally, be on your doorstep. And it’s across the 24 nations competing that there are midfielders whom would be of excellent service to Arsenal.

Granit Xhaka has bid auf wiedersehn to north London and what comes next will define whether or not he will be sorely missed or deemed a foolish sale. The progression had to happen sooner or later to make some inroads towards the rebuild that is afoot, but it’s the follow through that counts.

Ruben Neves has been heavily linked with the Gunners amid the Xhaka talk. That will not, however, suffice, purely in regards to numbers. Joe Willock will be sold for the right price, Dani Ceballos is gone, Matteo Guendouzi will go, Lucas Torreira will go, Xhaka is gone, Mohamed Elneny is fourth choice at best and Thomas Partey will, like the latter, be off in January for AFCON. Arsenal are so thin in that department.

Arsenal: 5 midfield transfer targets to watch at Euro 2020 as potential Granit Xhaka replacements

Some variety in that area of the pitch is needed. Willock certainly offers that but he also offers the chance of a welcome cash injection, while Ceballos offered something just not anything particularly appealing.

Numbers are as crucial as quality. No part of the squad will be as significantly overhauled and with Euro 2020 kicking off there will be a chance for recruitment teams and supporters alike to sink their teeth into some of the best midfielders on the continent.

Suiting to a variety of profiles, the following list features players who can slot into multiple roles and tactical setups as well as those fairly nailed on for one task. It’s a panoply of talent that could whet any personal appetite for how Arsenal could look.

Let’s dive in.

1. Florian Neuhaus

Nation: Germany
Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
Age: 24
Price: £35-£40m (>€40m release clause)

Two-footed, nimble, agile and probably going to be part of the German side that eliminates England from the tournament in the knockout stages, if you’re looking for an exciting player in Die Mannschaft’s ranks then Floran Neuhaus is your man.

He does, however, have serious competition in the centre of the park for his national side with Joshua Kimmich, Ilkay Gundogan and Toni Kroos just a few of the outstanding names ahead of him in the pecking order.

Should he make an appearance then be prepared for a line-breaking midfielder who is coolness personified under pressure. Neuhaus invites it (10.82 passes under pressure for 95th percentile), evades it and progresses the ball: he averages 5.83 progressive passes per 90 (86th percentile) and 0.3 through balls (93rd percentile), all of which come after delightful trickery in the centre of the park. His two-footedness and diminutive style are divine when in full flow.

It’s a real shame the German’s have top options in that department as Neuhaus can bring so much to the table. Much like Santi Cazorla he isn’t blessed with pace, instead using intelligence and timing to break lines and maintain high tempo in matches. A special talent, and he plays on the left of a midfield pair. Oh yes.

2. Konrad Laimer

Nation: Austria
Club: RB Leipzig
Age: 24
Price: £20-£30m?

Konrad Laimer’s name hasn’t been uttered much in the last year. Probably, but not certainly, because he started just one single football match in 2020/21.

Indeed, he was injured. For a very, very long time.

Breaking his ankle in August last year, the Austrian missed the entire Bundesliga season barring one small spurt at the end, culminating in his name being lost amid a sea of other noteworthy midfielders, hence why his price tag is something of a total guess.

When fit, however, he is a proactive, energetic and relentless operator, befitting of RB Leipzig’s style. In 2018/19 – we have to go back to then – he had more successful pressure regains and tackles won per 90 than any other midfielder in the top five divisions. That carried over into 2019/20 where maintained strong progressive qualities and front foot endeavour.

Working either as a single pivot or as part of a two, his wide-ranging skillset sees him make centralised carries as well as helping create overloads out wide to build numerical superiority. Like so many RB players, he’s featured in numerous positions, including at right-back.

Recovering from his injury in time to make the Austria squad this tournament, he now has the perfect opportunity to showcase his ability once more. At a good age and versatile, he’s one to look out for.

3. Ryan Gravenberch

Nation: Netherlands
Club: Ajax
Age: 19
Price: £27m

There is a strong chance that Ryan Gravenberch will still be an Ajax player come the end of the summer but if so it will doubtlessly be his last season there.

Built in a similar way to Paul Pogba, the teenager is the embodiment of a central midfielder akin to those seen in classic Premier League 4-4-2 setups, in that he can do most of everything. Rather well, too.

He balances elegance with belligerence sitting in a reserved midfield slot, boasting the technical ability to carry out from the back and glide beyond the opposition at effortless pace. His progressive carries, carries into the final third, passes and completed dribbles all hover around the 90th percentile, with high SCA’s as a result.

But for someone of such a scarily young age, how he balances these traits with exceptional proactive defensive output is what makes him a star in the making. Sitting in the 98th percentile for interceptions and opposition dribblers tackled, his 4.70 tackles and interception per 90 are 89th percentile worthy. Incredible.

Gravenberch is an enabler. He opens up doors for others to flourish, providing the assistance and security his teammates need to perform. An outstanding talent and might get a few minutes here and there depending on how the Netherlands’ tournament goes.

4. Manuel Locatelli

Nation: Italy
Club: Sassuolo
Age: 23
Price: £38m

One need only lay eyes on Italy’s midfield for a couple of minutes to fall hopelessy in love. It is a perfectly balanced cocktail of control, guile, drive and elegance – and Manuel Locatelli is very much a part of that.

With such an embarrassment of riches for Roberto Mancini to choose from, one can hope Locatelli makes a start or two. By now everyone will be familiar with the ins and outs of the 23-year-old, that being that he passes, a lot, and stupidly well.

His passes completed, progressive passes and passes into the final third are all 98th percentile worthy. It’s ridiculous. Whether it’s distribution under pressure, switches, through balls or dead balls, he does all of them immensely well, and often. His defensive stats are just as impressive and a npxG+xA of 0.19 adds to the gloss. Statistician’s dream.

If Arteta wants someone to come in to the side to emulate the qualities Xhaka brought to the party but improve upon them in a significant way then there are no better options out there than Locatelli.

The Italian is still young and balances all the traits the Swiss brought to the party with additional speed of thought and Italian composure. What is of concern, however, is his ability to defend in transition. He doesn’t have the athleticism over 20 yards and while mostly untested in this aspect, it could be a concern in the Premier League.

Got big Serie A club written all over him, right?

5. Corentin Tolisso

Nation: France
Club: Bayern Munich
Age: 26
Price: £17m

A midfielder who scores! We need one of those! Oh, and his favourite Premier League club is Arsenal!

They absolutely do but would they rather have one with a better injury record? Most likely. The Frenchman has now been clear of problems for a whole month, though! Madness.

Yes, it’s true, he’s always injured. Suffering a cruciate ligament rupture in 2018, he’s since undergone ankle surgery and recently tore a tendon that had him out of action for 82 days, so he’s a true Jack Wheelchair in that sense.

All of which is desperately unfortunate for the 26-year-old because when he’s fit and firing he is superb. There is a reason he plays for Bayern Munich after all.

Tolisso is a fantastic box-to-box option who in a possession-based style like Bayern’s can be so effective. His switches of play are excellent (91st percentile) and he always seeks the progressive pass with a 94th percentile ranking for balls into the final third and 89th percentile overall.

As accurate with his distribution as he is with his shooting, Tolisso boasts a thunderous drive on him that helps him rack up 94th percentile ranking for npxG+xA. His shots find the target 50% of the time. That’s so un-Arsenal like.

Bayern will sell him this summer with a year left on his deal so he’ll be available on the cheap, and Didier Deschamps has even included him in his France squad despite his injury record which is telling of his ability. Some player when he’s fit as a fiddle. The ‘when’ is the issue.