Arsenal have officially announced the signing of Chelsea midfielder Jorginho for a reported fee of £12 million just hours before the transfer window closes.
Arsenal Poach Jorginho From London Rivals Chelsea
Jorginho 🤝 The Arsenal
— Arsenal (@Arsenal) January 31, 2023
Improving Title Chances
With Mohamed Elneny currently injured, and Albert Sambi Lokonga departing the club on loan, a midfield signing was vital if the Gunners were to sustain their surprise title charge.
Moises Caicedo was the number one target, but the signing of Jorginho should not disappoint Arsenal fans. He provides some much-needed squad depth in that position and is undoubtedly more talented than both Elneny and Lokonga.
For that reason, he also vastly improves the club’s chances of clinching the Premier League title, not just because of his footballing ability, but also because of the winning mentality he will bring with him. The Italian has recently won the European Championships with his national team, as well as the Champions League with former club Chelsea.
For as well as this young Arsenal team have performed this season, one thing they lack is experience. Other than Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko, very few of Arteta’s players have played at the highest level, let alone achieved success at that level.
Read More: Arsenal Forward to Leave on Loan
The added know-how that Jorginho will bring, even if he doesn’t start many games, will be invaluable for the Gunners in the coming months.
A Fresh Start
On the other hand, there is also an upside to this move for the player himself. His situation at Chelsea had become stagnant, and the midfielder has failed to reach the levels he had set during his early days in West London. His early form even lead to none other than Jose Mourinho describing him as “the best midfielder in Europe.”
With some Chelsea fans practically waving the Italian out of the door, he has been provided with an opportunity not only to revive his career with the current Premier League leaders, but also to prove any doubters that may exist at his former club wrong.
Good Deal for Chelsea
However, Chelsea have also benefitted from this deal too. The midfielder’s contract with the Blues was set to expire in the summer, and therefore, receiving £12 million for a player in that circumstance represents a good business decision.
Read More: Chelsea and Paris-Saint Germain Are Close to Agreeing Transfer of ‘the Wizard’
Additionally, and perhaps more importantly, his departure also creates space in the squad for the possible arrival of Enzo Fernandez.
Overall then, this appears to be a rare situation in which a move benefits both clubs involved as well as the player himself.
