Why Arsenal must offload Mohamed Elneny in January

According to The Express, Mohamed Elneny’s father has claimed that his son is closing in on a move to AC Milan.

Elneny, 27, was a surprise signing by Arsene Wenger from Basel in the winter of 2016. And his move to the Emirates has not gone well, as he found it difficult to convince former manager Unai Emery for a starting spot.

He made only 15 appearances in the Premier League and Europa combined and as a result of that, he was loaned out to Turkish side Besiktas last September. He has been featuring regularly under Abdullah Avci this season and is performing decently in the Super Lig.

After impressing on his loan spell and attracting interest from other clubs, the report suggests that Arsenal are short of funds and are hoping to sell the midfielder to provide Mikel Arteta with money to spend in the upcoming transfer window.

This decision would prove to be excellent for the Gunners, who must aim to come back stronger in the second half of the season with some new faces.

The Egyptian never really settled within the team as he was in and out of the squad for the majority of last season. His performances weren’t exciting and it was the right choice for both the club and the player to send him on loan.

Arteta has a bunch of talented midfielders to work with, in the likes of Dani Ceballos, Lucas Torreira, Matteo Guendouzi and Joe Willock.

Ceballos’ return from injury would be a huge boost for the manager as he has the qualities to play at a higher level. Willock has been in fine form, despite being just 20. Guendouzi and Torreira would get better with time, given their attributes and hardwork all over the pitch.

With players of such qualities, it will be wise by the board to trim their squad and make important signings.

Arsenal are in dire need of centre-backs to tighten up their defence and by selling the Egyptian, they would be able to shore up that region.

Read more

• Why Arsenal should keep hold of Kolasinac amidst interest from Italy
• Why Juventus’ Adrien Rabiot would be a smart signing for Arsenal
• Why Arsenal should make a move for PSG’s Thomas Meunier in January

Verdict

Therefore, with AC Milan being interested in the former Basel man, Arsenal must not hesitate to offload Elneny.