Should Arsenal swap Aaron Ramsey for Juventus star Medhi Benatia?
The Guardian had earlier reported that Arsenal star Aaron Ramsey’s time at the club has come to an end, with the midfielder agreeing to a £36million deal with Juventus. But now with the Mirror reporting that Juventus want to bring in the 28-year old into the fold in the January transfer window, they’re willing to let Medhi Benatia go the other way.
It looks like the Old Lady have given Arsenal a choice between nothing and a 31-year-old, who is no longer. The question, however, is can the ageing centre-back make a difference to Unai Emery’s side? Arsenal have been struggling defensively this season and have failed to keep a clean sheet in their last five Premier League games.
The answer is, Arsenal have only three bonafide centre-backs fit and firing at the moment. Laurent Koscielny, who is 33 and just returned from a long-term injury, Sokratis the summer arrival who’s been their new rock at the back and Shkodran Mustafi, a German international struggling to fit in. There is Rob Holding but the Englishman is out for at least nine months after tearing his ACL in December.
That combined with the fact that Stephan Lichtsteiner and Nacho Monreal at times have played as a centre-back for the Gunners, signing Medhi Benatia seems lucrative.
The 31-year-old was a revelation last season, slotting perfectly in the Juventus line-up and replacing the then departed Leonardo Bonucci with ease. However, with Bonucci’s return, the Moroccan international has barely managed double figure in appearances this season.
While manager Massimiliano Allegri had promised Benatia more game-time (via One football), this swap deal could be beneficial to both parties, especially Arsenal. While the 31-year-old isn’t by any means a long-term replacement and will need a few games to adjust to the Premier League, he would be a valuable asset to any side in the world.
However, Arsenal need a long-term option and while there are a few affordable options at the moment for the Gunners, they need to take what they can get at the moment. Otherwise, they risk blowing it and losing a key star for absolutely nothing in the summer.
