Transfer Rumor: Arsenal sign Chelsea veteran Jorginho

Short of an official announcement, Jorginho, the veteran defensive midfielder, will be joining Arsenal from London rivals Chelsea today, in a surprise Deadline Day move. Signing a 1.5 year deal with 1 year option, the longtime Blue will be brought into the side to help Arsenal over the line in their quest to secure their first Premier League title in 19 years.

Despite the low-hanging “Chelsea retirement home” fruit, this move is...not awful. And it is also far from the meme-worthy signings of players like Willian and David Luiz (who wasn’t awful for us, btw). It’s not the young splash signing that fans were hoping for with Moises Caicedo, but it ticks many major boxes. Most importantly, it brings much needed depth to the defensive midfield position.

The other upside is the price. While Arsenal were toying with the idea of ponying up nearly £80m for a midfielder with only half a season of Premier League experience under his belt, £10m for a veteran who won’t have to be counted on game in and game out is a bargain, especially in an inflated January market. This also saves money for a potential summer move for Declan Rice, so that’s good.

The contract length is ideal as well, and is fitting for a veteran player that is a “win now” signing. I think it’s safe to say that Jorginho knows what his job and his role will be. I don’t think he will be expecting to be a starter from day one, but he will undoubtedly be a cog that can fill in across the midfield and start if needed. He isn’t a long-term signing, but he doesn’t need to be.

Aside from giving Chelsea money, I don’t hate this signing, all things considered. Jorginho’s stats are still solid, despite featuring in an underperforming and turbulent Chelsea side this season. The big worry during the window was finding a player who could emulate most of what Thomas Partey can do in the event he suffers another lengthy injury. Jorginho is not an identical player, but he is more than capable of anchoring the midfield, absorbing pressure, and progressing the ball.

With this signing done, Arsenal will have likely wrapped up their incoming signings, barring any late moves. And with this signing, Arsenal have filled a position of critical need with proven talent at a reasonable price.