In our view, Ray Parlour was spot on about suggesting Arsenal to make a move for Tottenham and Liverpool target Sofyan Amrabat.
The Gunners legend said, as quoted by the London Evening Standard, “Amrabat, he’s a player too.”
“If I was Arsenal, I’d be looking at him too. Central midfield, he can get his foot in. A very good player.”
It was claimed by La Repubblica that Spurs were interested in signing the Moroccan midfielder, who was priced at £44 million by Fiorentina.
Liverpool have also been heavily linked with the 26-year old’s signature, with TEAMtalk now claiming that they are likelier to sign him than Tottenham.
Arsenal should try to beat Liverpool and Tottenham in Sofyan Amrabat race
Considering Mikel Arteta’s side are in a much better league position than both Liverpool and Tottenham, it would not come as a surprise to see the Moroccan fancy a switch to North London if they come calling.
Also, if Arsenal aim to become Premier League champions, they must bring in an able backup for the injury-prone Thomas Partey.
Their current options in Mohamed Elneny are Albert Sambi Lokonga simply will not cut it in a title race, with the former being past his best and the latter profiling more as a No.8.
Why Amrabat would be the perfect signing for the league leaders
Sofyan Amrabat, on the other hand is a natural defensive midfielder, who would be a significant upgrade on said pair.
As witnessed during the World Cup, Amrabat is as good as it gets from a defensive perspective.
Despite operating in a double pivot, the Fiorentina lynchpin had no troubles breaking up play constantly.
And that too, against top opposition such as Spain, Portugal and France.
Considering Mikel Arteta’s system demands more than just a destroyer, the 26-year-old was nothing short of sensational on the ball.
Breaking the lines at will while carrying the ball out of tight situations, even in crisis situations, Amrabat exhibited a rare technical proficiency one usually finds in a No.6.
If the North Londoners sign the World Cup sensation, he also gives them the option of pushing Partey further forward in his ideal box-to-box role in games where they choose to favour a more defensive approach.
As Sofyan Amrabat ticks a number of boxes, is priced at a reasonable fee and with Arsenal currently flying, they should take Ray Parlour’s advice.
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