Patrice Evra thinks Arsenal’s transfer target Antoine Griezmann is the ‘key’ player for France at the Qatar World Cup and even ‘more important’ than someone like Kylian Mbappe.
Whilst the PSG superstar is ripping it up on football’s biggest stage and leading the Golden Boot charge with five goals to his name, Evra thinks it’s Griezmann who makes Didier Deschamps’s side ‘beautiful’.
France are in the quarter-finals of the Qatar World Cup, after winning two of their three group games, then easing past Poland in the last-16, and now they face England for a place in the last four.
The only game Griezmann didn’t start, his side lost, and whilst he hasn’t scored yet during the tournament, the 31-year-old is proving why the likes of Arsenal are keen on his talents.
Just like Olivier Giroud in Russia, the Athletico Madrid man is playing behind the former Arsenal striker in Doha, knitting the play together, winning the ball in dangerous positions, opening space for teammates and playing like that playmaker.
It’s something that is much-appreciated by former Manchester United defender Evra, who thinks Griezmann makes ‘everything look easy’, as he told Vibe with Five.
“With Griezmann, that’s where he makes France look beautiful,” said Evra. “Everything looks easy. He never played deep in that position with Didier Deschamps.
“He didn’t start (the defeat) against Tunisia. You can see, he is the key to the French national team. For me, he is the most important player right now, without any doubt.”
ARSENAL LOOKING FOR ATTACKING OPTIONS
The worst of the worst has happened to Mikel Arteta at the Qatar World Cup, and that’s one of his key players getting injured.
Gabriel Jesus will no longer play a role in Brazil’s charge to become champions, after suffering a knee injury after his side’s defeat to Cameroon during the group stages.
It’s a body blow for the Gunners because they were flying so high before the break, and if Jesus is out for the long-term, then something needs to be done in January in order to cover for his possible loss.
In the meantime, with Premier League football not returning until Boxing Day, Arsenal fans will be hoping he can recover in time to play in January.
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