Leon Osman admits Arsenal surprised him after signing Jorginho from Chelsea. He feels the deadline day deal showed how well Edu and Mikel Arteta operate in the transfer windows.
The Gunners secured a last-gasp deal for Jorginho this Tuesday with the midfielder moving from west to north London. Arsenal agreed to pay Chelsea an initial £10m for the Italy star, plus £2m in add-ons. The Blues let him go as the 31-year-old was out of contract this June.
Arsenal have given Jorginho a contract to June 2024 with the option for a further year. The Premier League leaders targeted a deal with their rivals as Arteta and sporting director Edu replaced Mohamed Elneny. The Egyptian suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury.
Arteta has also let Albert Sambi Lokonga move to Crystal Palace on loan for the rest of this season. The Belgian secured a deadline-beating transfer to Patrick Vieira’s squad once the Gunners announced Jorginho’s arrival. He will now push Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka.
Partey’s history with injuries also played a part in Arsenal’s decision to sign Jorginho from Chelsea. The Ghanaian missed three Premier League games earlier in the campaign with a thigh injury. But he has avoided a rib injury from their FA Cup exit against Manchester City.
Arteta and Edu’s decision to sign Jorginho from Chelsea for Arsenal surprised Osman
Arsenal have signed Jorginho from Chelsea in a deadline day transfer to improve Arteta’s squad as they challenge Manchester City for the Premier League title. The Gunners hold a five-point lead and a game in hand over the Citizens. The Blues are down in just 10th spot.
But Arteta has started Xhaka in all 19 and Partey in 16 of Arsenal’s Premier League fixtures. Elneny had only opened one of his five appearances and Lokonga started two of his six this season. Now, Jorginho will provide the Spaniard with valuable experience in their position.
Yet Arsenal surprised Osman the most as Arteta’s former Everton teammate admires how the Spaniard and Edu signed Jorginho from Chelsea to improve in a position of clear need.
“The Jorginho signing caught my eye,” Osman told BBC Sport. “Not simply because I wasn’t expecting him to move away from Chelsea. But more because of the way Arsenal have done their business. They are continuing to impress me.
“The way they go about it, identifying people they need given the injuries they have sustained in their squad, knowing exactly what they want and going out and doing it.”
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