So I watched the Champions League semifinals between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid last night and had this overwhelming feeling of what might have been, but I had to pinch myself back to the reality that we brought this upon ourselves over two legs with the German outfit. Defenders making mistakes, players not taking chances, ball watching for that vital Joshua Kimmich sucker punch and the whole none yards, then I also remind myself that my last quarterfinal appearance was 14 years ago.
Speaking of Champions League, Arsenal is set to retain the services of a certain European cup winner in the form of Jorginho. He has been an astute signing since joining the club over a year ago, and while he hasn’t been a regular starter in the side, he’s one of those consummate professionals that does a job on the pitch anytime he’s summoned, using his cool head and superior technical ability to dictate tempo, influence the midfield and thread those sumptuous passes to the final third.
A new deal is well deserved for Jorginho and despite him being an elder statesman in the squad, his experience and charisma rubs off on the younger talent in the squad. He also adds quality depth in midfield because Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar will have serious decisions to make this summer regarding Arsenal’s midfield.
Albert Sambi Lokonga has fallen out of favor in the side and was shipped out to Luton Town in pursuit of first team football. Things haven’t panned out too well for the Belgian in the lower league outfit, especially with his injury struggles and inconsistent outings on the pitch, so it’s unlikely that he would remain at the club for the foreseeable future. I’d fathom another loan spell elsewhere next season or an outright sale for peanuts, since we usually suck at negotiating player departures.
Mohamed Elneny’s race is run and we are probably set to see him make his final showing in front of the Emirates faithful via a substitute appearance, if Arsenal is leading considerably against Everton in the final game of the campaign, as no new deal has been mentioned for him. If you recall, he would have been kicked out last season, but the club offered him a contract extension to allow him complete his rehabilitation from a knee injury.
Then there is the Ghanaian elephant in the room, Thomas Partey. The lynchpin has always been an effective player for Arsenal since his arrival in 2020 but his injury record left a lot to be desired. In Declan Rice, Arsenal bought the perfect player that cushioned the effect from the loss of Partey in the side, but it’s evident from the last couple of games that a midfield pairing of Partey and Rice, like party jollof rice, is a match made in heaven. However, what good is having a Rolls Royce when you never drive it due to all sorts of mechanical issues. Partey turns 31 this summer and will have one year left on his deal. Will Arsenal offer him an extension? Or will the club cut their losses and ship him out to Saudi Arabia or Juventus or something? I certainly don’t believe that Arsenal will keep him for the final year of his contract next season and allow him leave on a free transfer.
The younger contingent of Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira aren’t fully trusted by the gaffer, and we don’t expect Jorginho to play every game alongside Rice at his age, and the likes of Martin Zubimendi linked to the club, it will be interesting to see how the Arsenal midfield landscape looks in the foreseeable future.
One thing we know for sure, is that Jorginho will still be an instrumental part of it.
Sayonara.