Arsenal will reportedly monitor Dominik Szoboszlai on Tuesday, with the midfielder being identified as a potential replacement for Granit Xhaka.
According to Football Insider, Arsenal have identified their desired replacement for Granit Xhaka in the shape of Dominik Szoboszlai. Scouting the Red Bull Salzburg midfielder will be on the Gunners’ agenda when Hungary lock horns with Wales on Tuesday in European Championships qualifiers.
It is going to be a high-stake encounter and with direct entry to Euro 2020 up for grabs, it will test the mettle of players like Szoboszlai and how they can perform under pressure. Hence, it is no wonder why Arsenal have chosen to dispatch their scouts to monitor the midfielder this week.
Arsenal were linked with Szoboszlai in the summer, but a move failed to materialise. In January, however, Red Bull Salzburg could be forced to cash in on their prized asset, whose current contract at the club expires in 2022.
As far as finding a replacement for Xhaka is concerned, Szoboszlai is an interesting choice for multiple reasons. For one, the Hungarian international is an attack-oriented midfielder, who primarily features out wide. Unlike Xhaka, he is not necessarily someone who can sit in front of back-four and cut off passing lanes of the opponent.
He is, however, known for his aggression and willingness to close down opponents, traits that are stylistically similar to Xhaka’s gameplay. Moreover, the 19-year-old is perfectly capable of featuring in central midfield and would provide Unai Emery with tactical versatility in the middle of the pitch.
Szoboszlai could be an excellent partner for Matteo Guendouzi, who has often been restricted to play his natural game due to Xhaka’s indecency in midfield. The Red Bull Salzburg star, in contrast, could not only provide the Frenchman with additional support going forward, but can also make himself a passing option for the attackers during an offensive stance.
That being said, the addition of Szoboszlai might make it difficult for Emery to accomodate all three of Dani Ceballos, Guendouzi and him in the same lineup as they are, more or less, similar kind of players. Szoboszlai, in fairness, is more of a replacement for Mesut Ozil than Xhaka.
Hence, it would perhaps be wiser for the Gunners to set their sights on someone, who can be a better fit in the number six slot. Arsenal are already reportedly keeping an eye on Denis Zakaria, whose potential addition makes much more sense, although it might be difficult to lure him due to massive competition.
