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Arsenal: How Manuel Locatelli & Thomas Partey would work in midfield

By Ross Kennerley

Italy's midfielder Manuel Locatelli celebrates after scoring the first goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group A football match between Italy and Switzerland at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on June 16, 2021. (Photo by Ettore Ferrari / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ETTORE FERRARI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)
Italy's midfielder Manuel Locatelli celebrates after scoring the first goal during the UEFA EURO 2020 Group A football match between Italy and Switzerland at the Olympic Stadium in Rome on June 16, 2021. (Photo by Ettore Ferrari / POOL / AFP) (Photo by ETTORE FERRARI/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Arsenal, Mikel Arteta
LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 27: Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal looks dejected after his team concede a second goal during the UEFA Europa League round of 32 second leg match between Arsenal FC and Olympiacos FC at Emirates Stadium on February 27, 2020 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Harriet Lander/Copa/Getty Images) /

Can Arsenal Sign Manuel Locatelli?

Italian players rarely make the move to the Premier League. The very best of Italy tend to forge their careers in Serie A, much like those from England.

Look at Arsenal, who in their history boast a total of three Italian players. Two of them were goalkeepers, Vito Mannone and Emiliano Viviano, and the other was Arturo Lupoli who made just one Premier League appearance.

AC Milan, Inter, Juventus and the like are the pinnacle of football for most players and the allure of those clubs almost always tends to trump the interest from abroad. Despite Arsenal making their feelings known, whether with a bid or not, if Juventus pay up the money they’ll get their man. Simple as.

The issue for them is they’ve just recorded £275m losses as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and are shackled by a wage bill featuring none other than the €31m yearly salary Cristiano Ronaldo picks up.

Can they find the cash reserves needed? It’s stated that they’re only €10m off which is not a great deal, so sales elsewhere will be pushed to the top of the order to find a solution.

There is hope of this coming to fruition. It’s not a lot, but it’s something.

And were Arsenal not to succeed then at least they’re giving it a go. Locatelli would be costing around £70m were he playing in England and his signing would be a real show of intent as Arteta looks to find the perfect partner to sit alongside Partey next season.

Who knows, the 4-3-3 switch could also be in his thinking – there is no better time to start implementing it – in which case Locatelli could play on the left with Partey in the middle and perhaps Bukayo Saka as the right No. 8. That system has huge potential and frees up Emile Smith Rowe on the left, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang through the middle and Nicolas Pepe on the right.

That’s an inviting lineup.

Next. Renato Sanches fee beyond means. dark

Arsenal are seeing the talent across Europe and making their move. While there is still hope, fans can keep dreaming.

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