Arsenal considering transfer for midfielder who ‘moves like a god’ amid Thomas Partey and Jorginho exit talk

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Arsenal are expected to revamp their midfield department this summer.

Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard are staple figures in this area of the pitch for Mikel Arteta’s team, but there are question marks about the rest.

Thomas Partey is set to leave Arsenal when his contract expires in June, while Jorginho could depart North London as early as this month.

As for Mikel Merino, Gunners fans have been critical of the Spaniard’s performances since he arrived in N5 last summer.

Thus, reinforcements are needed, with Arteta eager to bring younger midfielders to the Emirates, and a number of players are already being linked with a switch to the club.

Arsenal are interested in signing Lorenzo Pellegrini

Both Jorginho and Partey are entering the latter stages of their career, and there’s subsequently a feeling within the Arsenal ranks that a minor rebuild is needed in the middle of the park.

A number of targets have already been identified ahead of the summer, as Arteta eyes a long-term option to be deployed alongside Rice and Odegaard.

Arsenal are considering a move for Jobe Bellingham, although the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri could prevent the Gunners from going for a player in a similar age bracket.

Instead, Roma star Lorenzo Pellegrini is on the club’s radar, with Italian outlet La Repubblica (09/01/2024 – print edition) reporting that the Premier League outfit’s contacts with the 28-year-old ‘remain alive’.

Pellegrini’s contract with the Red and Yellows expires in 2026, and Roma are said to be willing to sanction his departure if they receive a tempting offer this summer.

Napoli and Inter Milan are also understood to be in the race to land the Italian, who has scored just one goal in 16 Serie A appearances this season.

While he’s enduring a difficult campaign, Pellegrini has demonstrated his ability to chip in with goals across several seasons at Roma, scoring 54 times for his boyhood club since the beginning of 2017.

How do Lorenzo Pellegrini’s statistics compare to Mikel Merino’s?

With Partey and Jorginho likely out the door, Pellegrini would only be vying for one man’s spot if he were to swap the Italian capital for the English capital in the summer.

Merino has perhaps been scapegoated by Arsenal fans in recent weeks, but there’s no doubt that his performances have at least somewhat underwhelmed, and that any potential addition would be gunning for his role.

The ex-Newcastle man has been lamented for his rigid movement on the ball, while former Roma boss and now Southampton manager Ivan Juric has claimed that Pellegrini ‘moves like a god’ – via Get Italian Football News.

While Arsenal fans will be excited by Juric’s description, the two players compare similarly statistically.

However, Pellegrini profiles as more of an advanced midfielder, averaging more key passes per match, while boasting a more productive goal-scoring record.

Merino offers more security on the ball, and is capable of winning it back through tackles and interceptions at a higher rate.

Given Arsenal’s offensive issues this season, Arteta and the Gunners faithful may be more attracted to Pellegrini’s qualities.