Assist machine struggling at Dortmund named as possible Arsenal target

Edu Mikel Arteta Arsenal TEAMtalk

Reports claim struggling Arsenal could make a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Brandt in the January transfer window.

With the Gunners currently in a downward spiral, it seems inevitable that Mikel Arteta will do business next month. They are 14th in the table, having scored just 12 Premier League goals in 14 games this term before beating Chelsea 3-1 to provide some positivity.

Arteta has been under pressure, with rumours that Thomas Tuchel may be in line to replace him. If he is given time, the Spaniard will want to bolster his attacking threat.

The strikers are misfiring but being given scraps to feed off, with Mesut Ozil out of the picture.

The north Londoners were recently linked with Real Madrid’s Isco. That now seems dead in the water but Lyon’s Houssem Aouar could be an alternative.

However, a new name has emerged, with Arsenal now said to be looking at Brandt – according to The Athletic. The 24-year-old joined BVB from Bayer Leverkusen back in 2019 for around £30m.

He has not had the expected impact with Dortmund, with only three goals from 33 Bundesliga outings last term. The man with 35 Germany caps has yet to find the target in 2020-2021 and may be allowed to leave.

He has started just six league games this season and made seven appearances as a substitute.

The Bremen-born star’s major asset is an ability to create chances for his team-mates. He clocked up seven assists last season and created 39 chances – something the Gunners seem incapable of doing at present.

They have received fierce criticism in the media, with the likes of Nicolas Pepe singled out for attention. The club’s record signing appears to have lost interest and a lack of effort was picked out by Alan Shearer.

New blood is required and the powers that be will look to address the situation as soon as possible.

Edu lays out his cards

Arsenal technical director Edu has recently made it clear where the club’s priorities lie.

He told a fans’ forum earlier in December: “It’s quite clear what we need. We need a player with creativity in the middle, we don’t have that in the squad right now.”

Another option is Inter Milan playmaker Christian Eriksen who has failed to settle at the San Siro. He is well known to English fans having shone during seven years at Tottenham.

Whether the Denmark international would be prepared to play for Spurs’ rivals is unknown. But his days with Inter do seem numbered.

 

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