Mikel Arteta must play Arsenal star in new position after latest Kroenke transfer rejection

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal could be about to rebuild Mikel Arteta’s midfield department this summer.

Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice are the staple figures in the middle of the park for the Gunners, but beyond that there are question marks.

Martin Zubimendi is expected to sign for Arsenal in the summer, although the Spaniard is unproven at Premier League level and there are some concerns about how he may adapt to the intensity of the English top flight.

Meanwhile, Thomas Partey is set to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the season, and Mikel Merino hasn’t set the world alight in his debut campaign in N5.

Jorginho set for Arsenal exit

The other senior midfielder in Arteta’s ranks is Jorginho, who is set to leave the club in June once his contract is up.

According to O Dia, Flamengo are in advanced negotiations with the Italian over a pre-contract agreement.

Arteta wanted to keep Jorginho beyond this season, but the Kroenkes rejected this request from the Arsenal boss.

That means the Spaniard will have to further reconstruct his midfield in the summer, with Jorginho joining Partey out the exit door at London Colney.

While the former Chelsea man hasn’t been an indispensable figure in the Arsenal team, he has started 12 games across all competitions for the Gunners, and is understood to be a valued member of the dressing room.

Arsenal will be left with just Rice, Odegaard, Merino and the incoming Zubimendi as senior midfield options once the two ageing players depart, meaning Arteta will have to imagine up a plan to add more layers and depth.

• READ MORE: Shocking statistic shows what Arsenal do much less of this season – Mikel Arteta must fix it

Jorginho’s departure should prompt Mikel Arteta to use Myles Lewis-Skelly in midfield

Ethan Nwaneri is of course an option as an alternative creative force to Odegaard, but Arsenal will need someone who can operate as a left eight or as the defensive midfielder in Arteta’s system.

The other teenage sensation, Myles Lewis-Skelly, is the obvious internal solution.

Lewis-Skelly should be utilised in midfield anyway as he develops, with this position where he was most frequently used in the academy.

However, Jorginho’s exit exacerbates this need.

The 18-year-old is excellent in tight spaces, specialises in eluding a press and boasts an exceptional range of passing.

These attributes make him perfectly suited to playing either as a six or as an eight, while deploying him in this role will also free up funds to invest in the forward-line rather than in midfield.