5 players Arsenal should sign this summer
By Ty Finch
3. Jean Michael Seri
Arsenal have had one major Achilles’ Heel in the last half-decade: injuries. Those injuries often plagued their team at the worst possible time and in their most thin positions. The only way around this long string of bad luck is to strengthen each position, so when Aaron Ramsey’s inevitable two-month spell on the sidelines comes, the Gunners aren’t scrambling for a new system instead of plugging a new player in.
Jean Michael Seri has had two excellent seasons in a row, and is rapidly becoming one of the hottest names in the transfer market. He will inevitably cost an arm, a leg and maybe a foot, but in the end, he’s worth it.
One of Seri’s best characteristics is his ability to play in just about any system a manager can deploy. His best position is in central midfield, where he can display his stellar range of passing and build-up play the most. In the past couple of seasons, he’s played a more advanced role in Nice’s preferred 4-3-3 formation, and he’s been crucial in finding key passes and through balls.
Emery’s PSG teams have played in both a 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, and either one would suit Seri just fine. He can play in a double pivot similar to the one Wenger used so much of his career, or as a an attack minded midfielder in a three-man midfield.
Signing a player of Seri’s caliber would also help Arsenal’s rotation during the long Thursday/Sunday matches during the Europa League, and give Mesut Ozil much-needed rest whenever possible. He’ll cost a quite a bit, but if Emery and the Arsenal staff get rid of the dead weight, they’ll have the money to get him.