Mikel Arteta’s influence at Arsenal since joining has been immense, completely reviving the club.
Last season, the Gunners narrowly missed out on the Premier League title after they fell at the final hurdle, and this season, it seems that they’ve gone to a whole new level of quality.
The Spaniard has gotten the squad to a point where, regardless of injuries, the standard of performance rarely decreases, which just proves how far they’ve come in recent years.
Nonetheless, the boss is still keen to improve his team and the quality of his depth, hence his interest in signing a new midfielder in the summer.
Arsenal want to sign a midfielder this summer
According to a report from Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it, the scouting department at Arsenal likes the prospect of re-signing Ismael Bennacer.
The midfielder – who previously spent two years at the Emirates – is currently playing for Serie A giants AC Milan, where he has become a key player in recent years.
Despite being in a contract until June 2027, it is believed that Milan would be willing to let the Algerian leave this summer if a fee of €50m (£43m) arrived.
However, if the Gunners do decide to make a move for Bennacer, they will face competition from Saudi Arabia.
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ByJoe Nuttall Why Bennacer would be a perfect Thomas Partey replacement
Despite starting 28 matches for Arsenal in the Premier League last season, Thomas Partey’s future at the Emirates Stadium now looks uncertain.
The signing of Declan Rice was certainly a statement of intent by Arteta, and the former West Ham United ace has truly taken Arsenal to a new level.
This campaign, the 30-year-old has dealt with two major injury blows, missing 26 matches via a hamstring and groin issue. Therefore, Partey has only played six league games.
With the lack of reliability, it looks set that the Ghana international will be on his way out in the summer, with Bennacer serving as the perfect replacement.
The Milan star was actually formerly on the books of Arsenal before leaving in 2017 to join Empoli, with Arsene Wenger describing him as a “fighter" and a "real box-to-box player".
Passes completed
54.66
Top 12%
Key passes
1.93
Top 8%
Passes into final third
5.52
Top 11%
Shot-creating actions
3.90
Top 10%
Tackles
2.65
Top 13%
Dribblers tackled
1.35
Top 10%
Ball recoveries
8.34
Top 5%
As you can see by the table above showcasing Bennacer’s statistics from last season, the 26-year-old has an extremely well-rounded skillset that would see him slot into the side in multiple roles.
His technical class and chance creation were clearly among the best in Italy in 2022/23, and it would enable the Algerian to be the perfect replacement for Rice in the left-sided number eight role, with Wenger previously noting that he can "defend very well" but is also "very efficient going forward".
On the other hand, his defensive ability would allow him to also play as the lone six over Jorginho, which could prove to be a vital component with Arsenal's intense schedule meaning that rotation is simply a must.
This versatility and vast attributes already give him an advantage over Partey, who’s typically been a defensive midfielder, and although Bennacer wouldn’t exactly be a cheap buy, he would certainly have a huge impact on the Gunners team.
Unfortunately, the number four has only started eight games for Milan in the league this season due to injury, but that could very well work in the favour of Arsenal and their hopes of securing a reunion.
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