Micky Gray has compared new Arsenal signing Jorginho to Liverpool star Thiago Alcantara for their skill on their ball. But he doubts the Italian was who Mikel Arteta actually needed.
Arsenal raided Chelsea to sign Jorginho on deadline day this Tuesday for £10m, rising up to £12m with add-ons. The midfielder moved from west to north London with a contract until June 2024, plus a one-year option. He was out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer.
The Gunners sought Jorginho’s signature to improve Arteta’s depth in central midfield. The Spaniard has likely lost Mohamed Elneny for the rest of this season following surgery on a knee injury. He also let Albert Sambi Lokonga join Crystal Palace on loan on deadline day.
Jorginho now provides Arteta and Arsenal with cover for Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka after signing from Chelsea. He also left Stamford Bridge having featured in 18 of the Blues’ Premier League games this term. Graham Potter even captained him in his last two games.
Chelsea agreed to let Arsenal sign Jorginho, though, as owner Todd Boehly pushed through a £107m swoop for Enzo Fernandez of Benfica. The transfer also secured the west London club a fee for star otherwise leaving for free five years after joining for £50m, up to £57m.
Gray likens new Arsenal signing Jorginho to Liverpool star Thiago
But while Gray admires Jorginho for his skill on the ball, he doubts the midfielder was who Arsenal needed to sign. Instead, the former England left-back feels Arteta needed to sign a more like-for-like alternative to Partey. He does not feel the Italian gives the same skill set.
“A comparison I can give you is Thiago for Liverpool,” Gray has told talkSPORT. “He’s very similar in the way that he is fantastic on the ball, he can see a pass. He plays the game at his own pace.
“But when you haven’t got the ball, has he got enough in the legs and the tank to help out the way Arsenal play? He brings a different dimension. He has his own skills and his own qualities. But he’s not Thomas Partey.”
Arteta may need Jorginho to be more like Partey than Thiago
Losing Partey would be catastrophic for Arsenal’s title hopes as the Ghana international is the rock of Arteta’s midfield. Jorginho will not offer anywhere near the same protection to the Gunners’ backline should he be needed to. Nor did he help to take control at Everton.
Arteta introduced Jorginho for his Arsenal debut as a 59th-minute substitute at Everton in their 1-0 defeat on Saturday. He was steady on the ball but lacked the bite to give Arsenal the control required to come from behind after replacing Partey, who was an injury doubt.
Partey started at Goodison Park despite Arteta admitting on Friday that he was potentially carrying the rib injury he sustained at Manchester City in the FA Cup. So, Arsenal will need to see Jorginho step up off the ball if he now needs to start in place of his new teammate.
Arsenal should, at least, get plenty of the ball at home to Brentford next Saturday. It would help Jorginho show the skills Gray likens to Thiago, who joined Liverpool for £20m rising to £25m from Bayern Munich in September 2020 and has been a conductor at Anfield since.
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