With the January transfer window in full swing, certain names continue to be linked with the club. Focusing on the midfield, we have consistently been linked with Schneiderlin, Carvalho, Sissoko, Bielik, Perrin, and Gündoğan. Out of all these players, the most sensible signing would be appear to be Schneiderlin. He’s a French international with Premier League experience and is a natural holding midfielder. However, Southampton are reluctant to sell and Arsenal face competition from Spurs and Manchester United. Even though the player himself has admitted he would relish the opportunity of playing alongside his fellow international teammates, Arsenal would likely have to pay an inflated fee between £30m and £35m, when his true value is closer to £25m.
With the exception of Özil and Alexis, Wenger has a reputation for being quite frugal in the transfer market. This is especially true during the January window, when player prices are inflated due to a discrepancy in supply and demand. The only example of Wenger spending big in January was back in 2009, when he signed Andrei Arshavin for £16.9 in the final hours of the window. With that in mind, I’ve decided to focus on a player who could provide depth in many key areas and help solidify our midfield.
The player I have in mind is Anderson Hernanes de Carvalho Viana Lima, or simply Hernanes. A Brazil international with twenty seven caps, Hernanes is currently plying his trade for Inter Milan. He’s only been at the club for a combined full season, signing from Lazio for a fee of £16.9m this time a year ago. In his debut season at Lazio, he scored 11 goals and provided 5 assists, eclipsing club legend Pavel Nedvĕd’s midfield goal scoring mark. During his four seasons at Lazio, he was arguably their best player as he went on to score 33 goals in 108 appearances. His move to Inter Milan was a bit controversial, as the player expressed his desire to leave, but ultimately Inter met his buyout clause, making the move somewhat inevitable. Up to this point Hernanes has scored 4 goals and provided 6 assists in 26 appearances for Milan.
What makes Hernanes unique is his versatility, as he can play anywhere in the midfield. He has excellent technique and is an accurate passer with superb vision. He also possess one of the best long shots in world football, which makes him deadly from set pieces. While these are great attributes to have, I believe Arsenal would benefit most from his nastiness. Hernanes loves a good tackle and stands almost six feet tall with a solid physique. His tenacity would provide some much needed grit in the Arsenal midfield and his versatility would help address the injuries that seem to plague the club year in year out.
At the age of 29, Hernanes would not be a typical Wenger signing, however the Frenchman did sign a 29 year old Arteta back in 2009. There are numerous examples of midfielders playing well into their thirties, who maintain a very high level of play. Most notably 33 year old Xabi Alonso and 35 year old Andrea Pirlo. With that said, I believe Hernanes still has four more good years in him and would be a quality addition to the squad. With Hernanes playing in the tarnished Serie A, I’m sure Wenger could get him for a reasonable price and there’s no doubt the Brazilian would jump at the opportunity to join Arsenal.
