Arsenal presently leads the Premier League standings and will want to keep that position and eventually win the Premier League. They are strategically looking to bolster their squad depth in January for the difficult second half of the 2022–23 season in order to have the strength to win the league.
The midfield is one of the positions that has to be strengthened. Mikel Arteta wants to add another quality central midfielder as insurance in case of a midfield injury dilemma.
Having said that, the Gunners want Douglas Luiz to join, but with Villa likely to stick to their over £100 million price tag for their midfielder, Arsenal may need to look elsewhere for a reliable midfielder. Interestingly, Arsenal are also, as per the Daily Mail, interested in Everton’s Amadou Onana, whom they see as Luiz’s transfer alternative. The Gunners were interested in Onana in 2022 but did not sign him, but they should sign him this time. Here are some of the reasons why he is an ideal signing for Arsenal:
1. He may be available at a reasonable price.
2. He’s an excellent holding midfielder. He is praised for his physical prowess, speed, and technical refinement, which might considerably boost Arsenal’s chances in the hotly contested Premier League title fight.
3. He might not get in the way of Arsenal’s growing midfield trio of Martin Odegaard, Kai Havertz, and Declan Rice. Havertz is on the rise, Odegaard is rediscovering his brilliance, and Rice has been a hit since he joined. With Onana, he could just come in and start making appearances from the bench. At 22, he is still young; he has plenty of years ahead of him to play, and one could argue that even if he does not join Arsenal as a starter, he will be OK fighting for a starting role from the bench.
4. He can play four positions: AM, CM, DM, and CB; he is one of Arteta’s favorite versatile players.
5. Many will agree that playing Onana alongside Declan Rice will make Arsenal’s midfield dominant for opposing teams, not just in the short term but also in the long run.
6. Aside from Havertz, Saliba, Rice, White, and Gabriel, he might be a major threat when Arsenal takes set pieces. The Gunners are one of the teams keen on capitalizing on set pieces.
These are my arguments for why Arsenal should sign Onana in January. Should he be Arteta’s next midfield recruit?
