Arsenal have been linked with a move for Barcelona starlet Ilaix Moriba, and there’s every reason for Gunners supporters to be excited about this.
Signing a teenage midfield hotshot from Barcelona is never a bad idea, let’s not forget what Cesc Fabregas did for Arsenal after coming in from the La Liga giants.
While you’d usually expect a La Masia graduate to be in the mould of someone like Fabregas, that isn’t what Moriba is, and to be honest, that’s not what Arsenal need.
The Gunners already have a diminutive playmaking Spaniard in the shape of Dani Ceballos, and with all due respect to him, he’s not been the answer to the Gunners’ midfield problems this term.
Arsenal have struggled to find the perfect partner for Thomas Partey this term, but Moriba could be the man to fill that gap.
Just look at how his former coach has described him in the past:
“He’s physically very strong, but he’s also a very intelligent player,” Denis Silva Puig has said
“Most people don’t appreciate this. Here he’s called the ‘Pogba of Barca’ because he’s like a young Pogba, but also he is very, very intelligent—and that is his big potential. He is a top player, no doubt.”
Standing at 6 ft 1, Moriba is certainly physically imposing, and he’s also got the technique to boot, with his first goal for Barcelona earlier this perfectly highlighting how composed and skilled he is on the ball.
Of course, at 18 years old, the teenager is far from the finished product, but if he does end up living up to his billing of being a young Pogba, he could be the perfect partner for Partey at Arsenal.
Two strong, energetic and skilful midfielders operating in a double pivot would be frightening for any opposition midfield, and if they have a player like Martin Odegaard operating in front of them, it could be one of the strongest midfield’s in the Premier League.
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