Mohamed Elneny Deserves a New Deal on Current Form [Opinion]

Egyptian midfielder Mohamed Elneny could soon be offered a new deal by Arsenal following a rich vein of form under Mikel Arteta – and with good reason.

The 28-year-old’s current deal expires at the end of next season, with the Gunners seeking to tie him down to an extension. According to the Daily Mail, that is what could well happen, as Elneny is now set to be rewarded with a new deal.

The Egyptian was previously seen as surplus to requirements, having spent last season on loan with Turkish giants Besiktas. Since his return to the Emirates Stadium, though, his form has evolved massively.

Elneny’s importance to Arteta cannot go amiss; he has featured four times in the league already this season and is beginning to form a good partnership with summer signing Thomas Partey.

The duo were recently compared to Santi Carzola and Francis Coquelin for their combination play and their ability to boss the midfield in Arsenal’s recent 1-0 win over Manchester United. Elneny’s commitment on and off the ball exhibited a new side to the player which some Gunners fans may not have thought was in his locker.

The Elneny-Partey duo was instrumental in acting as deeper-lying playmakers at times, refusing to accept any stray passes as lost causes. Chasing down and putting pressure on United in moments of mistakes was pivotal to setting the tempo of the game in Arsenal’s favour.

In the Evening Standard, Elneny was rated at eight out of 10 for his performance as he ‘popped up everywhere, filling holes before you could see them and keeping the ball popping out about in midfield’ – a glowing endorsement of his work rate and nimbleness on and off the ball.

He has also been noted for his short passing skills, further justifying that match rating. A passing completion rate of 89.2% is noteworthy given his central role; and although surpassed by Partey’s 93.3%, both players benefitted from working together despite Elneny’s recent return and Partey’s arrival at the Emirates.

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With his contract expiring in the near future, a new deal would also act as a superb way to retain some value for the 28-year-old, thus raising his price tag were he to be sold in the future. Nonetheless, it seems a fitting and deserved reward for a player enjoying something of an Indian summer in north London.

Whether he can maintain his form remains to be seen, but the signs are good that he can become indispensable to Arteta.