Having been left frustrated in his attempts to lure Caicedo away from Brighton & Hove Albion when bids worth up to £70million were rejected last year, Gunners boss Arteta ended up turning his attentions towards Jorginho and succeeded in tempting him across the capital after a £12million deal was agreed with Chelsea.
Arsenal also forked out £27million for Trossard in January 2023, when it became clear that it would be challenging to win the race for Mudryk, and the Belgium international has gone on to enjoy a fruitful spell at the Emirates Stadium while the former Shakhtar Donetsk winger has struggled since his £88.5million switch to Stamford Bridge.
Gunners keen to tie Jorginho down to fresh terms
Arsenal are set to open discussions with Jorginho over a new contract, according to the Evening Standard, as they are desperate to reward him for a string of impressive performances instead of taking advantage of an option to extend his current agreement by a further 12 months.
The report suggests that the Italy international is viewed as a key member of the Gunners’ squad for the Premier League title run-in thanks to his vast amounts of experience, and the north Londoners have set their sights on initiating talks over fresh terms as his £110,000-per-week deal is due to expire on June 30 if no action is taken.
Caicedo went on to join Chelsea for a British-record £115million in August after Arsenal missed out on his signature, but statistics highlight that Jorginho has been in better form since the season got underway, highlighting that Arteta’s decision to turn his attentions towards a low-cost option has paid off.
| Jorginho’s statistical averages per 90 minutes compared to Moises Caicedo in the Premier League this season | ||
|---|---|---|
| Jorginho | Moises Caicedo | |
| Passes into the final third | 9.09 | 5.51 |
| Blocks | 2.12 | 1.58 |
| Passes blocked | 1.97 | 0.87 |
| Dribblers tackled | 1.21 | 0.87 |
| Interceptions | 1.06 | 0.87 |
| Statistics correct as of 01/03/2024 |
But a summer exit could still be on the cards for Jorginho as his agent Joao Santos has revealed that a return to Serie A may be a possibility, with Lazio being a favourable destination despite Juventus, AC Milan, Inter Milan and reigning champions Napoli also being in contention for his services.
Meanwhile, respected reporter Jones recently told GIVEMESPORT that Arteta is an admirer of how Trossard has adjusted to having to prove he deserves regular game time instead of being one of the first names on the team sheet, like at former employers Brighton.
The 29-year-old has struggled to overtake Gabriel Martinelli in the pecking order on the left-wing, his preferred position, but he has still broken into double figures for goals and assists during his spell on Arsenal’s books and has been pivotal in chasing the Premier League crown.
Dean Jones – Arteta will be feeling smug after missing out on Caicedo and Mudryk
Jones believes that Arsenal dodged a bullet by missing out on Caicedo and Mudryk as they have failed to live up to expectations at Chelsea, while Jorginho and Trossard have proven to be better acquisitions at considerably lower prices as Arteta goes in search of ending the Gunners’ wait to be crowned the Premier League champions.
The reputable journalist feels that Jorginho could play a pivotal role in the north Londoners attempting to end their season with silverware as he is an experienced head in crucial fixtures and his presence in the middle of the park brings the best out of Rice, who sealed a £105million move from West Ham United last summer.
When asked how Arsenal will be viewing Caicedo and Mudryk’s struggles at Chelsea, Jones told GIVEMESPORT:
“I think they can feel pretty smug about it right now. When Arsenal completed those deals, a lot of fans were laughing at them. But Arsenal are having the last laugh. They saved over £150million, and now they are in the conversation to win the title.
“I think Jorginho is key to how they could do in some of the big games that are coming up because of his level of experience.
“When you see him in midfield, he seems to unlock Declan Rice in a way that allows him to play at another level.
“I think that is going to be really interesting as we move forward because Rice clearly wants to become a midfielder that influences games at the top end of the pitch more often.”
Ramsdale earmarked as leading target by Chelsea
Chelsea have identified Arsenal goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale as a top target for the summer, according to Football Insider, but they are set to face competition from multiple Premier League and European clubs after they have noticed a potential opportunity to pounce.
The report suggests that Blues transfer chiefs believe the England international is a good option for boss Mauricio Pochettino after he has fallen behind David Raya in the pecking order, resulting in him being restricted to just 900 minutes of action this season, although a move to Stamford Bridge is not a foregone conclusion.
Chelsea have been boosted in their pursuit as it is understood that Ramsdale is eager to leave Arsenal after being left frustrated by his lack of game time since the reshuffle between the sticks, and he is desperate to secure regular minutes at this stage of his career.
But reliable journalist Ben Jacobs previously told GIVEMESPORT that Arteta would not entertain the possibility of sanctioning the 25-year-old’s exit ahead of the winter window slamming shut on February 1, and it resulted in him remaining the second-choice shot-stopper at the Emirates Stadium.
Arsenal are in a strong negotiating position ahead of admirers being able to lodge bids as Ramsdale only committed his long-term future to the north Londoners in May, when he penned a £120,000-per-week contract which is due to keep him at the club until the summer of 2026.
