Transfer Rumor: Jorginho to Arsenal

Arsenal are “interested in signing” Chelsea midfielder Jorginho before the close of the transfer window, according to Sky Sports. Earlier this week, there were whispers of something in the works between Arsenal and Chelsea. Could this rumor have been it? Perhaps. That Sky piece doesn’t attribute the rumor to a particular reporter, and I’m not able to find any additional information, so my confidence in its accuracy is relatively low.

The 28-year old central midfielder has three years remaining on his contract with the Blues and has captained the side in both of their matches this season.

David Ornstein recently reaffirmed that Houssem Aouar and Thomas Partey were the Gunners’ top midfielder targets this window, but he added something new that jumped out at me. He said, “they do have back up options” in case they aren’t able to move for one of their preferred pair. It looks like Jorginho is one of those fall back options. A safety midfielder, if you will.

I’m not sure moving for Jorginho is the best way for Arsenal to spend their money before the end of the window. Yes, the midfield needs reinforcing, but I’m not sure that bringing in a better version of Granit Xhaka is the answer. It would feel a bit like making a move for the sake of making a move. If Arsenal are able to include Matteo Guendouzi in the deal to lower the cost / get some value out of a player who looks to be finished at the club, my opinion would shift towards “okay, sure.”

Jorginho is a good Premier League player, and if Arsenal see a lack of options/bodies as the biggest issue, he would fill that need. I just don’t agree that is the “problem” with the Arsenal midfield. The problem, as I see it, is range. Granit Xhaka has none, and Dani Ceballos’ is limited. Ceballos might be able to be more of a box-to-box player if he weren’t playing next to Granit Xhaka but, as mentioned, Jorginho has similar limitations to Xhaka.

The funny/sad thing is I think that Matteo Guendouzi, with a bit of coaching and an attitude adjustment, could be the perfect piece to fill the hole in the Arsenal midfield. But it would appear as if that ship has sailed. And so we’re left with possible transfer moves for Jorginho.

Would buying Jorginho make Arsenal better? Yes. How much? I don’t know. Enough to make the cost of the move worth it? Probably not. It’s a pass for me on this one.