Part VII: Left Midfield
For the past 3 years, Left Midfielder in black & blue = Perisic.
He has been our second most prolific scorer and one of our top players, same if not better with his national team, where he played the World Cup to the last stage, losing just at the last moment. This season things are looking slightly different. He doesn’t look the same player, he’s tired and not precise, almost as with his head somewhere else.
Recently he also comment that he sees his future elsewhere, maybe in Premier League. Keita Balde is recently taking advantage of this situation (Spalletti permitting…) but if we decide to let Perisic go this summer (and fix also our financial situation) we should find a new interpreter in this position.
Option 1:
Rodrigo De Paul
Age: 24
Value: €17M
Club: Udinese
Agent: Not clarified.
Apparently his name was on Ausilio’s notepad since his season at Racing Club. Now the Argentine player has more European experience (he played at Valencia for 2 seasons) and 93 games in Italy, where he scored 15 goals and made 15 assists.
His contract was just extended until June 2023 but probably next summer he will dress a different jersey, hopefully nerazzuri. Milan, Napoli and Sevilla will try to interfere, especially our cousins in this winter session, but honestly I doubt he will move now.
Udinese rarely sells players half season and Milan is not in the best financial position to make Pozzo’s family happy. It all seems in Ausilio’s hands this time.
Possible move in January: 0% Possible move in the summer: 60%
Option 2:
Mesut Ozil
Age: 30
Value: €35M
Club: Arsenal
Agent: Family & Football
I doubt he needs any introduction. World cup winner, Arsenal captain and past at Real Madrid and Werder Brema, he has a pretty full Palmares.
That was the past, what is happening right now? Emery, new Arsenal coach, is not the best admirer of the German player, things in London are getting tense and some supporters called him “inconsistent, lazy and injury prone”, reaction due also at rumors of his brother/agent offering him to Ausilio/Marotta.
They never said a word about this possibility, it would be great on one side, he definitely can bring a lot of experience and technique, on the other hand, it is true that he’s injury prone.
On top of that he’s also 30 and with a very high salary, too high actually, so high that Arsenal should subsidize part of it in case of transfer. His agent recently turned down any January transfer offer, Man Utd, but not a word about this summer. One of the hypotheses is a return at Madrid, with Isco going to London, another is Inter, the last one, probably the more realistic, is just another season fighting for a spot at Arsenal…
ps: I know he could play in any position in attack, but usually he prefer to start from the left side, so…
