While technical director Edu Gaspar is facing questions from a disgruntled Arsenal fanbase – with the decision to hand Willian a three-year contract while releasing Henrikh ‘six goals in three games’ Mkhitaryan on many supporters’ lips – Kevin Volland has been absent from the discussion.
However, if reports are to be believed it wasn’t Edu but Mikel Arteta who turned his nose up at the chance to bring a German international with an impressive scoring record to the Emirates.
ESPN claims that while Unai Emery was of a fan of the versatile forward, his fellow Spaniard was less enthusiastic.
Arteta reportedly went so far as to tell Edu, and former head of football Raul Sanllehi, he had doubts about Volland and a deal was, therefore, vetoed.
Shortly afterwards, the former Hoffenheim star was on his way to Monaco, joining for a cut-price £9 million fee from Bayer Leverkusen.
And while the industrious Volland may not have the natural talent of a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, a Nicolas Pepe or even a fit-and-firing Alexandre Lacazette, he does possess something no-one in Arteta’s squad looks capable of at the moment – the ability to put the ball in the back of the net.
While Arsenal drew yet another blank at Leeds United on Sunday – their last goal from open play coming some eight hours ago – Volland produced a man of the match performance at the weekend as Monaco came from two down to stun the champions in the principality.
PSG were cruising on Friday night before Volland pulled one back after the interval, outfoxing Keylor Navas before slotting home. His second, and Monaco’s equaliser, arrived soon after.
And it was Volland who robbed Abdou Diallo with minutes left on the clock, winning a penalty Cesc Fabregas converted as Monaco celebrated a famous 3-2 victory no-one dared imagine at half-time.
“I’m not surprised by his contribution because I know what Kevin can give to the team,” head coach Niko Kovac told the Monaco Tribune of a man who has contributed seven goals in nine Ligue 1 appearances.
“When he arrived, I said I had to give him time because he was coming to a new country, a new city, a new club, with a new language, in a new league. It is important to have a decisive second striker to accompany Wissam Ben Yedder, our captain. And in his absence, he has proven himself to be decisive too.”
With Willian, Aubameyang, Lacazette and the now-suspended Pepe all performing well below expectations, a man Arteta didn’t want is shaping up to be one of the bargain buys of the season.
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