Jorginho Interest Is Arsenal's Answer to the Question That Wasn't Asked

The transfer window: a source of great joy, genuine excitement and in Arsenal's case, usually bitter disappointment.

In the past, some big names have arrived at the 11th hour to spark unbridled elation among supporters: Mesut Ozil, Andrey Arshavin and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang being the obvious standouts.

Other times - ones that supporters remember just as vividly - the club have brought in players with broken backs and Brazilian left-backs incapable of defending.

The latter stages of the window are a mixed bag for Arsenal, it's fair to say.

On prior occasions, the club have got away with less than optimal recruitment. Arsenal have had enough quality in their ranks to maintain a decent enough stranglehold on the top four places in the Premier League.

However, in 2020, facing a fourth successive Europa League campaign with a squad who could only manage an eighth place finish last season, there is no fallback for transfer window ineptitude.

Even the most cynical of onlookers can't deny that the club have been heavily pursuing Thomas Partey and Houssem Aouar with genuine intent. One of those deals is now dead in the water, while the other seemingly exists merely as a carrot to dangle in front of the baying crowd.

Midfield is where the squad is severely lacking. Hopes of even improving on an eighth place finish can be cast aside with a central midfield consisting of Granit Xhaka, Mohamed Elneny, Dani Ceballos and Joe Willock. Oh, and there is still Matteo Guendouzi, of course.

A dearth of mobility and, most crucially, creativity is apparent from that crop. Hence why Aouar was the club's top priority. A quick glance at the stats this top-flight season will tell you that only West Brom have had fewer shots at goal than Arsenal. Some teams have still only played twice.

You can coach positions, tactical awareness and formations, but you can't coach creativity. That's why Aouar was the main man for Arteta.

Which is why then shifting towards 'desperation' to sign Jorginho - on loan - makes as much sense as David James leading the line.

It shouldn't be disputed that Jorginho is a fine passer of the ball. Like Joseph Gordon-Levitt in Inception, he keeps things ticking over with precision timing. There are few distributors of possesion in the Premier League with as much class as the Italian.

Where does he do that from? Deep. He does that from deep-lying positions. Who else does that? Granit Xhaka. But, yes, before anyone kicks off about the comparison, they're not the same player at all. But with Xhaka one of the first names on the team sheet, his role at the dictator would be crossing paths with someone of Jorginho's ilk.

Arsenal need upgrades in a number of positions, but the concept of prioritising is one that has evidently brushed over the heads of the decision makers at the Emirates if Jorginho is their new primary target. Putting the ball in the sodding net is where they're coming up short. Unless the POA is to win three penalties per game, sense has been abandoned.

There is also, of course, the obvious difficulties that come with trying to sign a player on loan from a direct rival. Chelsea have all the money in the world to spend this window - as witnessed already - thus their position is a superior one. Declan Rice is Frank Lampard's ideal man to bring in, but he would still be risking a lot to benefit a club he's directly competing with should Jorginho's move be sanctioned.

Regardless of how or if it comes about, Arsenal need flair, not finesse. Jorginho offers the latter in abundance, but he won't drive through the thirds with pace and still have the capabilities of playing a killer pass at the end. Square pegs in round holes.

Now Arsenal's inability to secure their targets this window - there is still some time for something to be magically conjured up - does come the the obvious caveat of finance, not to mention the circumstances with which they, and any club, are operating in.

This market will be among the toughest clubs will ever face, one Arsenal are hamstrung further in by their obvious scarcity of cash. They've been unable to shift enough deadwood to raise the money required to obtain their ideal acquisitions, but then taking a back step on their necessities to seek reinforcements elsewhere is a cop out with no meaningful reward.

Tying down Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on a new long-term contract with the promise of bringing in the finest talent around to accentuate his own magnificence will end up as a pack of white lies if he's still left to feed off fleeting moments of brilliance from Bukayo Saka.

Jorginho only adds to Column B while Column A remains empty. An answer to a question that wasn't asked.

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