Arsenal have launched a bid to sign Christian Norgaard from Brentford.
Arsenal’s bid for Norgaard comes as Thomas Partey is set to end his five-year spell at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are interested in Lucien Agoume from Sevilla but it appears that Andrea Berta has chosen Premier League experience as his primary midfield target.
Thomas Frank loves Norgaard from his days at Brentford and Mikel Arteta would have an abundance of options as to how to set up his midfield should the Dane complete the move.
READ MORE: All you need to know about Arsenal transfer target Christian Norgaard
Three ways Arsenal could line up with Christian Norgaard
With Partey’s expected departure and Jorginho having already left for Flamengo, Arteta’s midfield options are set to look very different next season.
Martin Zubimendi will join Arsenal from Real Sociedad and should the Gunners complete the capture of Norgaard, the duo would join Declan Rice and Mikel Merino in the centre of the park.
It gives Arteta an excellent blend of attributes and profiles but how might the Gunners include their new Danish acquisition in the side? Arsenal Insider looks at three ways Arteta may set up using Norgaard.
Christian Norgaard replaces Thomas Partey at base of Arsenal’s midfield
Arteta has worked hard to implement his preferred system during his reign as Gunners manager and it is unlikely that Partey’s departure will cause any shift in style.
Partey was entrusted with sitting at the base of the midfield, snuffing out danger and playing incisive passes through the lines to the likes of Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard.
Norgaard has all the attributes to slot in and be a direct replacement for Partey and with five goals and four assists last season, he carries an attacking threat too.
Christian Norgaard used in a Mikel Arteta defensive masterclass
Arsenal have a tough start to the season, which includes trips to Anfield and St James’s Park in the opening six games.
Two grounds that the Gunners have notoriously struggled at over the years, so if you were to offer fans a point at each ground now, they would probably accept that proposition.
A way of preserving those points could be to drop Rice back from his marauding role at number eight and slot alongside Norgaard to add defensive solidity.
With Norgaard’s intelligence and Rice’s athleticism, centre backs William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes would be feeling quite content about the protection in front of them.
Arsenal’s new signings strike up central midfield partnership
Zubimendi is expected to bring more defensive qualities to Arsenal’s midfield but has also shown in his appearances for Spain that he has the technical ability to drive from deep.
The Spaniard’s range of passing has also caught the eye of Arsenal fans and Arteta’s new signings could form a formidable midfield partnership.
It would perhaps be an option should Rice not be fit or suspended but still brings a great balance to the midfield for the Gunners.
It is an option you could see being employed during a tough trip away in the Champions League or a gritty game at David Moyes’s Everton.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
