Back in 2019, Mikel Arteta compared Jorginho, who signed for Arsenal on deadline day for £12 million to Sergio Busquets.
It seems as if the former Chelsea lynchpin has been signed as an alternative to Thomas Partey, who profiles much more as a natural defensive midfielder in comparison to the former, who is a deep-lying playmaker.
And it’s clear to see that the Spaniard was always a huge admirer of the Italian international.
Mikel Arteta compared Jorginho to Busquets in 2019
After all, Sergio Busquets is widely classed as the greatest No.6 to ever grace the game, so, for Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta to liken Jorginho to the World Cup winner goes to show how highly he has always rated him.
“Our position has changed. There are teams that want to play with a single defensive midfielder. Not City. Other teams, that role is not as defined and we are losing the idea of having one who plays there; the Jorginho or [Sergio] Busquets type, that I love”, Arteta told MARCA 4 years ago, as relayed by City Xtra.
Now, in 2023, the Champions League winner has signed for the Premier League leaders and cited the ex-Sky Blues assistant manager as a key factor behind his decision.
Debunks theory that Jorginho was a panic buy
Some have suggested that Arsenal went in for the ageing midfielder at the last minute after missing out on the signature of Moises Caicedo. But it seems as if Mikel Arteta has always been enamoured by the idea of a No.6 like Jorginho, who he believes is in the mould of Sergio Busquets.
Much like Pep Guardiola, his protégé also favours a possession-dominant style of play, and there aren’t many superior midfielders than the 31-year-old at controlling the tempo of a game.
Keeping that in mind, Mikel Arteta must be in dreamland to finally get his hands on Jorginho, who he views as his very own Busquets.
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