Jorginho to Arsenal: This can’t be Edu’s backup plan, can it?

By pushing hard to sign Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo, Arsenal displayed the intent of a club desperate to become champions for the first time in almost two decades.

While the Ecuadorian is relatively inexperienced at the highest level and would not be guaranteed of a starting spot in Mikel Arteta’s XI, he’d add an extra layer of security to Arsenal’s midfield should, God forbid, Thomas Partey succumb to an injury.

The 21-year-old would allow Arteta’s meticulous machine to function efficiently in the absence of its key spoke. But Brighton are no pushovers and despite two extortionate bids from the Gunners – the second reportedly reached £70m – the Seagulls are intent on keeping their blossoming young midfielder until the summer at least.

While a move for Caicedo isn’t off the table just yet with deadline day fast approaching, it appears that Edu has sounded out his Plan B.

“Oh, how exciting!” I hear you cry. The Brazilian has nailed his backup plans in the past, particularly with Oleksandr Zinchenko, and the funds available to the Gunners this month means the technical director has ample opportunity to find a suitable alternative.

So, yeah, that excitement of yours. It might dissipate when you find out who exactly Plan B is…

Jorginho to Arsenal: This can’t be Edu’s backup plan, can it?

https://twitter.com/David_Ornstein/status/1620129401823444994

Bloody Jorginho.

The Gunners have risen from their ruins under Mikel Arteta off the back of savvy recruitment and Edu deserves a heap of credit for facilitating the club’s resurgence. His work in the transfer market has proved fruitful thus far but this, this isn’t it chief.

Look, Jorginho is a fine footballer. He shone at Napoli and was excellent for Italy during their Euro 2020 success. In lower-tempo environments, he thrives. And while his stint in west London has been far from disastrous, he’s about as far removed from an archetypal Arteta midfielder as you can imagine.

Sure, Jorginho is neat and tidy in possession and capable of distributing a killer pass in behind, but he’s weak and bereft of any athleticism. It’s nothing short of ghastly watching him in defensive transition.

There are aspects about the Italian that I can appreciate, and we must remember that he’d only be arriving in north London to serve as Partey’s backup. As long as the Ghanaian’s fit, he’ll start. But there are a lot of games remaining this season, especially if Arsenal advance deep into the Europa League. Partey’s ubiquity is far from guaranteed down the stretch.

We can’t have 31-year-old Jorginho holding down the fort in midfield. It’s a move that reeks of whatever that Willian signing was. The Italian is out of contract at Chelsea in the summer and is destined to ask for a fairly lucrative contract to see him into his twilight.

Arsenal cannot let their apparent desperation force them into a move like this, one that could cripple them in both the short and long run. There’s surely a better solution out there.