Arsenal Opinion: Jordan Veretout presents a quality alternative to Ramsey at an affordable price for the Gunners
According to The Sun, Arsenal are reportedly plotting a swoop for Fiorentina midfielder Jordan Veretout in the summer transfer window, with manager Unai Emery identifying the 26-year-old Frenchman as a potential replacement for Juventus-bound Aaron Ramsey.
However, The Sun reports that Veretout is likely to snub a move to Arsenal in order to join Serie A giants Napoli this summer.
The same source suggests that the Gunners are only going to have a paltry transfer budget of £40 million in the summer transfer window, with their defeat against Chelsea in the Europa League final confirming their absence from the Champions League for the third consecutive season.
The Gunners have plenty of issues to sort out ahead of the upcoming season and reinforcements at centre-back, right-back, left-back, central midfield and right-wing are likely to be high on the manager’s wishlist for the summer. However, with the club being forced to operate under serious financial constraints, it remains to be seen how Emery goes about things in the transfer window.
Taking the current circumstances into consideration, the most sensible approach from Arsenal would be to look at bargain deals, mediocre players and free agents in the transfer window.
While the club’s links with Jordan Veretout is likely to evoke mixed reactions from the fans at the Emirates, the 26-year-old could potentially prove to be a shrewd acquisition for the Gunners.
Interestingly, Jordan Veretout is not a stranger to the Premier League by any means, having played 25 times for Aston Villa during the 2015-16 season, as the Lions suffered relegation to the Championship.
The Frenchman contributed with as many as 5 assists in that campaign but his best efforts weren’t enough to help Villa beat the drop, and he left the club permanently in 2017 following a loan stint at St.Etienne in Ligue 1.
Prior to his move to Aston Villa, Veretout carved out a big reputation for himself as one of the most promising central midfielders in France over the course of his five seasons at Nantes. Although he wasn’t at his sparkling best during his time at Villa Park, the 26-year-old has rediscovered his mojo since his switch to Fiorentina back in the summer of 2017.
Fiorentina barely managed to beat the drop in the Serie A this past season but the 26-year-old was one of the few shining lights of the La Viola’s otherwise disappointing campaign in the Italian top-flight. Veretout contributed with 5 goals and 3 assists in 33 league outings and that might be enough to earn him a move elsewhere.
The former French U-21 international, who has 15 goals in 75 outings for Fiorentina, is comfortable playing in both box-to-box and holding roles in the middle of the park.
A tough-tackling and all-action central midfielder noted for his hardworking nature, strength, tenacity, drive, determination and stamina, the 26-year-old should be a tailor-made fit for Emery’s pressing philosophy and good enough replacement for Ramsey.
Veretout has the ability to control the tempo of the game with his wonderful range of passing, whilst also possessing the awareness and the agility to deal with the transitions in play. Adept at breaking down the opposition’s lines with his intelligent passing and vision, the Frenchman also has a good eye for a final ball and often chips in with key passes and assists.
Noted for his fearless tackling and tireless pressing, the 26-year-old tend to lack a little bit when it comes to discipline, with stats showing that he has collected as many as 22 yellow cards in the Serie A over the past couple of seasons, whilst also receiving the marching orders twice.
However, his assets as a central midfielder certainly outweigh his liabilities and a player of his calibre certainly deserves a second chance to prove his credentials in the Premier League. Ramsey’s departure would leave Arsenal with the services of Guendouzi and Torreira in the midfield but the Gunners should be aware of the kind of creativity and energy that Veretout could possibly bring into their ranks.
The 26-year-old averaged 1.9 tackles, 1.4 interceptions, 2.3 key passes, 1.1 crosses and 3.9 successful long balls per game in the Serie A this past season, whilst also boasting of a pass success rate of 81.8.
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Those numbers should be enough to convince Arsenal of Veretout’s well-rounded abilities, and that said, the Gunners should leave no stone unturned in their pursuit of the former Villa ace, given that he presents a quality option at a potentially affordable price.
