Why Arsenal should reignite their interest in Nabil Fekir
Back in May, a report from Football.London had claimed that Arsenal were interested in signing Real Betis playmaker Nabil Fekir. However, the rumours linking the French international with a move to North London came to nothing.
It wasn’t, however, the first time that Fekir had attracted interest from the Premier League clubs. The attacking midfielder came ever so close to joining Liverpool from Lyon back in the summer of 2018 before an issue with his medical scuppered a potential switch to Anfield.
Profile
Nabil Fekir started his professional career with Lyon back during the 2013-14 campaign and went on to establish himself as one of the best creative midfielders in Ligue 1 over the next five seasons. The left-footed magician plundered an astonishing 69 goals and 46 assists in 193 appearances for Lyon in all competitions, including a 23-goal haul in 2017-18.
The 27-year-old’s exploits in the French top-flight paved the way for a move to Real Betis in the summer of 2019. Fekir quickly established himself as a regular starter in the La Liga and contributed with 7 goals and 4 assists in 32 league outings in his debut season. The Frenchman has amassed 8 goals and 8 assists in 41 appearances for Betis across all competitions so far.
Fekir made his senior debut for France back in 2015 and has featured 25 times for his nation, winning the 2018 FIFA World Cup with Les Blues.
Fekir would be a good long-term replacement for Ozil at Arsenal
Arsenal roped in Thomas Partey from Atletico Madrid before the summer deadline as a part of Mikel Arteta’s midfield reshuffle that saw Lucas Torreira and Matteo Guendouzi head out on loan.
The Ghanaian has quickly established himself as a key player for the Gunners in deep midfield alongside the rejuvenated Mohamed Elneny, with Grant Xhaka, Joe Willock and Dani Ceballos also competing for places.
Indeed, the arrival of Partey has provided Arteta with a top-quality defensive midfielder to build his team around for the foreseeable future. However, the lack of creativity in the central areas remains a pressing concern for the manager.
The Gunners have relied heavily on the likes of Willian, Pepe and Aumabeyang for creativity and goals, but have often fallen short in their attempts to break down stubborn defences in the PL.
Mesut Ozil has been left out of Arsenal’s 25-man PL squad for the 2020-21 campaign, which clearly shows that the German is not in Arteta’s plans. With Ceballos registering only a solitary assist in 7 league games so far, it goes without saying that the Gunners need to target a new creative midfielder in January.
To put things into perspective, Arsenal need to look no further beyond Nabil Fekir should they opt to bolster their creative cavalry during the mid-season trading period. With more than 200 club career appearances under his belt for Lyon and Real Betis, the Frenchman ticks the box as a tried and tested performer with plentiful experience at the highest level.
During his illustrious career at Lyon, Fekir backed up his strong domestic performances in Ligue 1 with some impressive numbers in the Champions League and Europa League. His proven track record against elite-level opposition further lies testament to his obvious pedigree as a playmaker.
The left-footed star also has the versatility to switch between No.10 and wide roles, meaning a potential deal would offer Arteta some real quality in more than one area across the forward line.
Read More
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Verdict
With Ozil and Willian both 32, Arsenal need to line up some younger alternatives in the market as a part of their long-term plans. Nabil Fekir has already proven himself as a top player in Europe and still has his best years ahead of him at 27. That said, the Gunners should definitely go back in the market for the World Cup winner in January.
