2 pros & cons of Arsenal signing Dani Olmo this summer

Con #1 - Arsenal have other priorities

Culturally, this deal makes perfect sense. Practically though, not so much. Arteta has made his starting line-up preferences quite clear given his consistent team selections. Club captain Odegaard has his place definitively cemented in the team, as does Declan Rice.

It is that third midfield position that has seen plenty of rotation, with the Gunners varying between both advanced and defensive options. In general, the team saw the most success last season with a deeper option like Jorginho or Thomas Partey alongside Rice as the midfielder. However, often due to fitness concerns with those two options, Arteta has also opted with Kai Havertz, Smith Rowe or Fabio Vieira on occasion with Rice as the defensive midfielder, though this system has generally had a net negative impact on the team.

Moving forward, Arsenal could certainly do with a midfielder that rounds up the best of both worlds or at least a reinforcement on the Jorginho/Partey side. Signing Olmo instead would only continue the awkward bounce between two opposite dynamics. His creative skillset and tight space speciality are already available in the squad's current options, and he holds way too much value to play second fiddle. As good as the Spaniard is, he is not what Arsenal need to sign this summer.

Similarly, there is the idea of using Olmo as an option out wide. But again, his tendencies as a creative interior do not align with the direct style of football expected of Arsenal's wingers. The club would be much better off targeting a natural wide man should they want to elevate the depth in this position.

Con #2 - Blocks pathways for other midfield prospects

Despite their lack of minutes in recent times, Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira have nonetheless shown promising potential in an Arsenal shirt. Furthermore, the likes of Charlie Patino, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are all close to breaking through to a first-team level from the academy as well.

Above all, the club's midfield department already has plenty of prospective options, and the signing of a player like Olmo may well block the pathway for many of these talents. His release clause value may seem like a decent bargain compared to his actual worth, but from an Arsenal perspective, it is an excessive amount for someone that would ultimately just be a more experienced and established version of what the club already has.

Perhaps, it would make much better sense to stave off from this deal, and instead target other squad priorities, whilst using the youth options to plug any gaps in midfield throughout the season.

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