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The reason why Arsenal is top of the Premier League right now is that Mikel Arteta finally has a squad strong enough to win the division. They finally have a striker in Viktor Gyokeres, whilst other key players, including Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, were also brought in.
Arsenal's recruitment needed to be spot on last summer, as they have come up short in winning the league in the last three campaigns. Not all of the Gunners' signings have been given the chance they thought they would under Arteta this season.
Christian Norgaard was a key player for Brentford, who helped them gain promotion from the Championship and make the Bees an established Premier League side. The Gunners paid £10million to prize him from Brentford, but he has barely played since.
Norgaard has featured in just seven games for the Gunners across all competitions. This includes being used as a substitute in two Premier League games. He started one Champions League game, but that was against Slavia Prague, and has also featured as a substitute on two more occasions in the competition. Norgaard has been used prominently in the EFL Cup, where he played 90 minutes against Port Vale and then Brighton.
Did Arsenal really need Christian Norgaard?
Losing players to injury, such as William Saliba, Kai Havertz, and Gabriel Jesus, has led to Arsenal's shortcomings in previous seasons. Therefore, you cannot blame the Gunners' hierarchy for not taking any chances when it comes to recruitment.
It is always going to be difficult for Norgaard to get game time at Arsenal, as he is competing with Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, and Mikel Merino for a starting spot. He could still play a part in the rest of the campaign, especially if Merino is to continue to play as a center-forward. Arteta will also need Norgaard should anything happen to Zubimendi.
You cannot blame Norgaard for leaving Brentford, despite his lack of game time at Arsenal. He is now 31 and has only won the Danish Cup with Brondby and the Championship playoffs with Brentford. This season, he has the chance to be a part of a side that wins the Premier League.
Tomorrow, Arsenal host Brentford, and there is no doubt that Norgaard would be wondering what would have happened had he stayed with the Bees. The midfielder would have gotten more game time and then may have further established his place in Denmark's midfield.