Jorginho completed a shocking switch from Chelsea to Arsenal on deadline day for £12 million. The former vice captain for the Blues only had six months remaining on his contract, and has left Stamford Bridge for North London.
Moises Caicedo was one of the priorities for the Gunners during the January transfer window. But, they were unable to reach an agreement with Brighton to sign him. As a result, they added Jorginho to their ranks on an 18-month contract.
Is Jorginho the answer to Mikel Arteta’s midfield maintenance?
With both Thomas Partey and Mohamed Elneny out injured, the 31-year-old is expected to be a temporary solution to their midfield issues.
One of the strongest points of criticism against the Italian is his contribution defensively. And while he averages a higher rate of being dribbled against, he also averages more tackles and recoveries than Thomas Partey and Moises Caicedo. He has also won possession more times per 90 than the pair, at (8.3) than Partey (7.3) and Caicedo (6.7).
And although it might not seem like it, Jorginho also covers more distance on the pitch than both players. His lack of speed makes it quite difficult to defend against counters, but his intelligence and forward passing ability have been able to compensate multifold for these drawbacks.
So, the Italian regista might not be a downgrade from Thomas Partey. In fact, he could add a whole new dimension to the team once he is thrown into the mix under Mikel Arteta.
