Arsenal are expected to announce the signing of Mohamed Elneny on Monday, after manager Arsene Wenger hinted the Basel midfielder would complete his transfer to the Emirates Stadium.
George Bellshaw of Metro said the 23-year-old has completed his medical ahead of the anticipated transfer and quoted Wenger, who confirmed he is set to reveal a new member of his squad."We hope to announce a player in the next 24 to 48 hours," Wenger said after the FA Cup victory over Sunderland on Saturday. "I don’t need to tell you the name. After that we will see [about other deals]."
The player will reportedly cost the Gunners £7.4 million when he puts pen to paper, per Bellshaw, and will fill a void in the Arsenal squad that needed addressing.
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Jack Wilson of the Daily Star reported Arsenal's attempts to win a work permit for Elneny on appeal have been holding the fruition of the deal up, but Wenger's recent comments suggest this is no longer an issue.
Elneny has a credible work rate attached to his game and offers a different skill set to the club's traditional flair players.
Here is a video displaying why Wenger wants the player at his disposal:
However, Elneny is not the defensive anchor many fans had hoped to see arrive, one who is able to protect the back four at all times. He is capable of playing in a defensive role, but he might find the step up to the Premier League as a shock to the system, forced to deal with the hectic pace of the natural English game.
Journalist and Arsenal fan Piers Morgan was far from impressed when the player was linked with Arsenal during the Christmas period:
Elneny might not have the craft of Santi Cazorla or Mesut Ozil, but the young player is certainly a creative individual who will look to carry the ball forward.
The Egyptian is unlikely to be the key that opens the door to the Premier League title for the Gunners in 2014-15, but he will add a fresh dynamic to Arsenal at a vital time in the season—and at a reasonable cost.
Grzegorz Krychowiak has admitted he is aware of Wenger's interest in him but said he will leave it to his agent to confirm any potential transfer dealings in the pipeline.
The £30 million-rated Sevilla midfielder told FourFourTwo magazine (h/t James Orr of the Independent) his mind is fully focused on his current club but name-dropped the Gunners in his comments.
"I’ve heard about Arsenal, but I leave it to my agent," he said. "I trust him and he’s the one who deals with that kind of the stuff. I can’t think about things like that. I have to keep my mind free of any distraction and just focus on doing my job for Sevilla."
The 25-year-old Poland international has seen his valuation rocket in the past 12 months, as he impresses at home and abroad for the La Liga club.
The defensive midfielder has featured 24 times for his team in La Liga and the Champions League this term, according to WhoScored.com, and it will not be long before one of the continent's elite clubs capture his signature.
In terms of essential needs, Krychowiak matches the profile of the type of midfielder Arsenal need, over the capture of Elneny.
However, there is a substantial difference in the potential finance involved, with the Pole costing a huge total.
Elneny is a good player who will develop at Arsenal over the next few seasons, but Krychowiak could be the difference between winning and losing the title in the coming months.
The Pole is ready to become a superstar in the European game, and the Gunners would exponentially benefit from signing the powerhouse.
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