Q&A: Granit Xhaka's future, Mudryk competitors and more...

Adam answers questions from CannonStats readers

CannonStats is nothing without its readers! Every now and again Scott or I will call for some questions either here or on Twitter and take some time to answer them here. Hit me up on Twitter or in the comment section below if there’s anything else on your mind.

Now, let’s answer some questions!

Q: Who else is going to be in for Mudryk, and how likely is it he moves in January?

A: It’s almost impossible to know which links are based in fact these days, and which are agents trying to drum up a market for their players. But by most accounts, Arsenal have the inside track on Mykhaylo Mudryk of Shakhtar Donetsk, thanks in part to Oleksandr Zinchenko. Whether they’ll have any real competition is a major question. We’ve seen some clubs who’d put up a major fight, including Manchester City, PSG and Real Madrid, linked with the Ukrainian Neymar, but none have been characterized as aggressive this winter. Reports today said the club’s reps are in London speaking to at least four clubs, but details beyond that were scant. In the past, Brentford and Everton have been linked but would they represent much of a challenge? Probably not.

As to whether the player moves, I think it does get done. Shakhtar put on a tough face in public but well-sourced reports say they’ll settle for less than their €100m public proclamation. Thanks to the Russian war, it’s not a great time to be a Ukrainian football club, with Shakhtar playing many of its big-ticket games away from their normal home. Revenue is likely down, and several players left last summer for little to no fees thanks to a special FIFA exemption. If someone waves €70m under their nose, you’d think they could only hold out so long, and that’s without Mudryk pushing on them, which he will.

Q: What are the top 3 positions that need reinforcements in January, and who should Arsenal look at to fill those positions to go all way in the league and Europa?

A: My top three would be defensive midfielder, wide attacker and center forward. I don’t know how realistic it is to expect all three to happen, particularly with the money being floated for Mudryk, but getting one of each would definitely help. As I’ve said before, though, I’m also not expecting a permanent move for a new number 9, with Jesus likely back after 10-12 games. Meanwhile fresh reports from Brazil have Arsenal cooling interest in Danilo, a practical choice for January since his season is now over.

Now let’s say it was me hypothetically pulling the strings. It’s never easy to move in January, but I’d chase Mohammed Kudus from Ajax as one of my solutions. He can play on the right wing or at striker, making him a bit of a two-birds option. But he’s also dynamic enough to be real competition, particularly on the right wing, and has a long-term interest in playing midfield, making him a potential Xhaka successor. If I were forced to move on a defensive midfielder in January, I’d start by asking OGC Nice what they’d want for Khephren Thuram, with Ismael Bennacer (reportedly winding down his contract) and Manuel Locatelli (Juve’s off-pitch problems) as other potential shouts.

Q: Who is one target (or more!) from the last few years who based on stats you thought would’ve been a perfect fit, but has since fallen off dramatically?

A: This was fun to dig through some old posts for. There was a point last season where I would have jumped at the idea of Jonathan David signing for Arsenal, but he disappeared down the stretch last season and wasn’t great at the World Cup. But he’s back at it again in Ligue 1 this season, so who knows what the future holds.

I’ll also happily hold the Ls for being pessimistic about the Ben White and Aaron Ramsdale signings, in both cases I thought the players were solid or even good but Arsenal were overpaying. Ramsdale may still prove to be a bit of an overpay, but White has settled into one of the best at what he does in the league.

I’ll also volunteer another L that I’m happy to take: I really pushed in summer 2021 for Arsenal to drop Granit Xhaka. Happy that didn’t happen. Speaking of…

Q: After this season (lets assume a 2nd-3rd place finish) what you would do with Granit Xhaka?

A: This is a great question. Arsenal’s shadow captain will be in his final year of his contract in 2023-2024, at an affordable £120,000 per week. He’ll also be 31 about a month into next season. But he’s also, arguably, the season MVP for the club so far.

My answer for what I’d do this season comes down to two possibilities: 1) Nothing, or 2) Offer him an extension for another 1-2 seasons. Xhaka isn’t on a wage that’s really going to hurt Arsenal for another two seasons, particularly if they’re in the Champions League. He’s an important figure in the dressing room, and his game is such that some dropoff in his athleticism isn’t likely to be that damaging to his success. Worst-case scenario, he comes looking for a big raise, and then you can talk about doing nothing. I don’t think selling him is a real possibility, unless you can get better than £30-40 million for him, and I don’t think there’s a buyer out there who’d do that.

Taking it a step further…

Q: How do you see the midfield being renewed with Xhaka and Partey getting older?

A: This is asking for a bit more of prognostication than opinion, so here’s what I’m expecting: I think Arsenal try again to find a young 6 who can be groomed to replace Thomas Partey. It’s a tough job, but Partey has two seasons left on an immovable contract, meaning it could time out perfectly to let someone apprentice for him for 18 months to 2 years before taking over. The biggest priority will be to find someone who can handle the defensive responsibilities of being a 6 better than Sambi, as even Mo Elneny has showed a rock with less impressive passing can help the club win big games.

There’s the possibility of an internal solution, perhaps Charlie Patino, but I always say you can’t count on youth to come good, better to hope for the best and plan for the worst, and I think Arsenal wouldn’t be getting linked to other options if they were saving that space for an academy player. I see Patino going out on loan again next season.

In Xhaka’s position, there are still a few directions they could go. Youri Tielemans does make sense as a successor, if they’re not ready to stop chasing him. You could also get a very good midfielder for an Arsenal-sized fee. It won’t be Jude Bellingham or anything, but there’s talent out there to be found out. Xhaka’s wage doesn’t preclude a second ready-made midfielder moving in, but there would be some squad politics and playing time issues to figure out.

There are also internal possibilities. Fabio Vieira, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Emile Smith Rowe could work out, if they can become more authoritative in duels and better tracking back like Xhaka is. If not, I fear the Partey-Odegaard-? midfield is a little too weak and won’t control games against better opponents. There are also names like Myles Lewis-Skelly in the academy, but see above.

Q: Mudryk or Felix?

A: I think it’s pretty easy to say Felix in a vacuum. When you put all the puzzle pieces together, from budget to wages and acclimation into the squad, I’d sign Mudryk for Arsenal if they cost the same fee. There’s just a lot more going on in deals than the fee alone, and many people fail to take that into account.

Now, let’s go out on a strong note:

Q: With the January transfer window nearly upon us, what I'd like to know is, Marmite - Love it or hate it?

A: I have to admit that I’ve never had it! If someone in the comments wants to send me a jar, reach out…LOL.