Arsenal Opinion: Why Joan Jordan could be a superb signing for the Gunners
According to a report from Spanish outlet Marca, Arsenal are one of the host of clubs interested in signing Eibar midfielder Joan Jordan.
Joan Jordan, 24, played an instrumental role in Eibar’s successful season, helping the Basque club finish a respectable 12th in the La Liga table. He made 36 appearances in the La Liga, contributing with four goals and as many assists from midfield.
Eibar wants to cash in on Joan Jordan, who is out of contract at the club in 2020. The likes of Sevilla, Villarreal, Valencia, West Ham alongside Arsenal are also on the lookout of the midfielder with €15m release clause, adds the report.
That being said, Arsenal must do everything in their powers to win the race for Joan Jordan’s signature this summer.
The Gunners will participate in the Europa League next season after failing to beat Chelsea in the Champions League final. They finished fifth in the Premier League, leaving Unai Emery with a lot of problems to address ahead of his second season at the Emirates.
Emery’s priority has to be shoring up his defence this summer due to Arsenal’s mediocre defensive record amongst the top six sides in the league. He is also likely to be in the transfer market for a couple of midfielders having seen Aaron Ramsey depart for Juventus on a free transfer.
The Arsenal manager will have a limited budget to work with in the ongoing transfer window. So, Emery needs to invest smartly in the market and get the players that help him get Champions League football back at the Emirates next year. Keeping that in mind, Joan Jordan would fit the billing perfectly.
Jordan, who joined Eibar from Espanyol in 2017, operates from central midfield but is also adept at playing in attack. The Spaniard is a very good distributor of the ball, creative and works really hard in midfield to keep things tick off for his team. He isn’t shy in the tackle, as he picked up 10 bookings this past season, which would add some much-needed bite and steel to Arsenal’s engine room.
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The 24-year-old can also chip in with crucial goals, something Ramsey did in spades for the Gunners. Jordan is also physically strong and powerful, which could potentially see him form a solid midfield trio alongside Granit Xhaka and Lucas Torreira if Emery prefers three midfielders in his system.
Verdict
The ability to create and break down play is something which Emery desperately needs next season, and Joan Jordan would be perfect. He could prove to be a suitable replacement for Ramsey, whilst bolstering the Gunners midfield which has been accused of being soft for some years now.
