Arsenal won’t have to replace Mesut Ozil anytime soon, but if the rumors prove true and he does the unexpected and leaves, here are five guys that can replace him.
Every so often, a really nasty rumors embeds itself in our cerebral cortex and gnaws away at our subconscious. Sometimes that rumor is good, sometimes bad. Edinson Cavani was one such rumor. He just never went away. There were so many signs saying “hell ya!” and just as many saying “hell no!”
It was maddening. Isco was another rumor and so were the Alexis exit rumors.
The new parasitic rumor is the one started by Marca stating that Mesut Ozil is ready to ditch the club where he has become a cult sensation. All because they have not moved closer to becoming a Champions League contender.
The reason why this seems so farcical in the first place is because Arsenal are still in the Champions League this year and they actually pulled of some remarkable things, as they have already beaten Bayern Munich once.
But the rumor is awfully persistent.
The thought of losing Mesut Ozil is horrifying. One and a half years of being bullied by all of England and he finally comes into form. 17 assists in the league already and more will come. Everything is going right with him, so it only makes sense that something horribly wrong has to be considered.
To think that Ozil would leave promptly after his breakout year is a bit saddening, but Barcelona is the team in question and they have a bit of pull. That being said, there are still no strong backings that this rumor is true.
Still, it got us thinking of five guys that could potentially serve as replacements if Mesut Ozil does indeed do the unthinkable and pack his backs for a return voyage to Spain. All of these options are from external sources, as if there was anyone in the club that could do what Ozil does, Arsenal would not have signed him in the first place.
Similarly, all of these players will be high-profile guys, along the lines of Ozil. After all, you cannot sell Mesut Ozil and replace him with Sofiane Boufal. That’s not how this is going to work.
We will start with No. 5.
5. Ross Barkley
This really isn’t as crazy as it seems. Ross Barkley is an incredibly talented attacking midfielder that has accumulated eight goals and seven assists on a side that is as inconsistent as they come. He has maintained that No. 10 role like a true veteran and he is working with a striker with many of the same strengths as Olivier Giroud.
So slide him into the No. 10 role at Arsenal and watch the magic unfold.
When Everton are actually clicking, Ross Barkley looks unstoppable. His passes find exactly who they are looking for and that ‘who’ usually puts it in the back of the net. It’s like science. But as soon as Everton start flailing, Barkley flails with them. Give him a consistent environment and this kid could develop into an absolute world beater.
He is only 22 and he’s already mastering some of the toughest facets of the game. He has a masterful long shot, superp pass completion (87%) and he is even a great crosser, something Arsenal have very little of.
What’s there not to like? The only reason he is probably getting scowled at in this scenario is because he is as inconsistent as the team he plays for.
Moving on, let’s travel to Italy.
4. Lorenzo Insigne
Lorenzo Insigne is such an interesting player. He has been linked to Arsenal for some time now and it has become a pretty clear fit to bring him to the club. However, given Napoli’s Serie A challenge, they were unwilling to watch any of their key players slip away. Plus, Insigne is a hometown boy who loves the club. It is a doubt if he will ever leave, but something about money always tends to have an affect on people’s decision-making.
Insigne would offer something completely different from Ozil, as he is not your typical No. 10. In fact, he spends most of his time on the left wing. But given Alexis’s and whoever Wenger puts at right wing’s ability to interchange positions, it would fit Insigne perfectly.
Whereas Ozil can often times get a bit bogged down out wide, Insigne would come into his element.
That can be proven by his statistics. two key passes per appearance, eleven assists and eleven goals (stats via WhoScored). Hard to argue with that.
The combined speed and creativity between Insigne, Alexis and Campbell/Ox/Walcott would be positively insane and it would be a massive threat to any defense out there.
Next up, let’s move into Germany.
3. Marco Reus
So there’s this guy for Borussia Dortmund that could amply replace Mesut Ozil, but he hasn’t played at the No. 10 role all year. Therefore I am crazy, fact or fiction? Fiction. Because that man is Marco Reus.
Reus has been linked to Arsenal for so long that he almost feels like a part of the family. Probably because of his injury issues. But whatever the case, Reus is an elite midfielder that is continuing that trend of being elite this year. He now has twelve goals and four assists on the year, while maintaining two key passes per appearance.
His passing numbers may seem low for someone that is a potential replacement for Mesut Ozil, but you have to consider what putting him into the No. 10 role at Arsenal would do. It is handmade for assists. Plus, Reus has a history of assisting more, as in his last twohealthy years he put up a combined 22 assists.
That would multiply in an Arsenal system that could give him consistent game time at the No. 10 spot.
Injuries are the only real drawback. What this would undoubtedly turn into is Aaron Ramsey filling the role while we waited for Reus to get healthy.
Let’s keep it in the Dortmund family with No. 2.
2. Henrikh Mkhitaryan
Another of the not-prototypical No. 10 types, Henrikh Mkhitaryan has arguably the most versatility in the game today. He can play anywhere in front of the defense. And he has. The Armenian has made between two and six appearances at six different positions. And while the No. 10 role has only welcomed him twice, it is there that Arsenal could take him to the next level.
You see, Mkhitaryan, aside from having a name that is a nightmare to type, is a clever passer. He averages just under three key passes per game. But when you are constantly rotating about the pitch with little to no consistency, that premium passing ability can sometimes get lost in translation.
To a certain extent, it has. The midfielder could go for a spot of consistency and if Mesut Ozil pulls of his farcical move to Candyland, or wherever he is going, investing in Mkhitaryan is a prime chance to turn a high profile player into a world class super star.
Passing is not his only strength. That’s right, he can do more than lead the Bundesliga with nine assists. He has also scored nine goals on the year and contributes masterfully to the defensive side. He averages right at two tackles and interceptions per game.
Despite all the perks of making him a bonafide No. 10, he is not the best option. No, but we all know who is.
1. Isco
If you were to accuse me of concocting this slide show just so that I could talk about Isco coming to Arsenal again, I’d probably have to ponder long and hard about a nondescript response.
That being said, in the hypothetical and unlikely situation that Mesut Ozil moves on, who better to replace him than a man from Ozil’s old stomping ground who is fiending to be an attacking midfielder? Yet his opportunities are mostly down to injury fill-ins and appearances on the wings.
Isco’s actual likelihood of coming to Arsenal plummeted when Zidane took over Real Madrid, but the right price can secure anyone. The Spaniard plays with composure well beyond his years, as he has a goal and seven assists across some incredibly inconsistent play time. He contributes near three key passes per game and maintains a 90% pass completion.
All in spite of not having a real position to call his own.
Not only that, but Isco is only 23 years old and would fit into that golden age of Arsenal midfielders. In fact, he would give it a considerable boost, all things considered.
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