Jorginho does not fit Arsenal’s transfer strategy – so why does this move make sense?

Since the summer of 2015, Arsenal have signed five players over the age of 30. Three of those five – Petr Cech, David Luiz and Willian – joined the club from Chelsea.

It is understandable, then, that many Arsenal fans are concerned about the prospect of another ageing player swapping Stamford Bridge for the Emirates Stadium. Jorginho, who completed his move on deadline day, will be Arsenal’s oldest signing since Willian, who in turn was the club’s oldest signing since Luiz.

Given the struggles of Willian, especially, it is hardly a surprise that some Arsenal supporters are anxious. Not least because their success this season has been built on a recruitment model which has almost exclusively targeted young players, who earn lower wages and have significant resale value.

Where does Jorginho, 31, fit into the overarching recruitment strategy over the past few years? The truth is that he does not fit into it. But Arsenal believe they have laid a strong foundation under Mikel Arteta, building a new spine, and that their young team can now handle the introduction of older players.

Trophy-winning experience

One way of looking at the signing of Jorginho is to see it as the natural evolution of Arsenal’s long-term recruitment policy. The youngsters are in, so now it is time to add trophy-winning experience to the dressing room. Another way to view it is as a short-term move to strengthen their unlikely push for the Premier League title. If Jorginho gets them over the line, it will have been worth tweaking the recruitment model.

On the most basic level, Arsenal need another midfielder and they need one now. Immediate needs sometimes trump long-term strategy. Jorginho will arrive as cover for Thomas Partey, who cannot be expected to play in every minute of every match for the remainder of this season. With Mohamed Elneny out injured, and Albert Sambi Lokonga struggling to impress, Arsenal had to act.

The finances of the deal are certainly palatable for Arsenal: an initial £10 million transfer fee, and an 18-month contract with an option of a further year. Such an investment will not impact their plans for the summer, when they are expected to make a serious push to sign Declan Rice from West Ham United.

What is certain is that Jorginho adds proven quality and Premier League experience to Arteta’s young squad. This is a Champions League and European Championship winner, after all, and it should be noted that the Brazilian-Italian came third in the 2021 Ballon d’Or rankings.

It is also worth mentioning that Arteta is a long-time admirer of Jorginho, and first tried to sign him a couple of years ago. Arteta was also Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City when they tried to buy Jorginho from Napoli in the summer of 2018, before he instead went to Chelsea.

An affordable acquisition

Observers of Jorginho will know that he does not boast the same physicality and mobility as Partey, who is dribbled past less frequently than his soon-to-be team-mate. Jorginho is widely regarded as more of a schemer than a destroyer.

Since the start of last season, Jorginho has played more passes per game (and more forward passes per game) in the Premier League than Partey. That will not come as a surprise to those who have watched him play. Curiously enough, though, he has also made more tackles (2.7 per game, to Partey’s 2.1) and regained possession more frequently (8.3 times per game, to Partey’s 7.3 per game) than the Arsenal midfielder. He is, clearly, defensively capable.

For the here and now, then, Jorginho makes sense as an affordable acquisition, as was the case with Leandro Trossard, who joined Arsenal from Brighton for an initial £21 million earlier this month.

The fear for Arsenal supporters is that Willian also made sense in theory, and he found the shift from Stamford Bridge to the Emirates Stadium to be unexpectedly dizzying when he crossed the divide in the summer of 2020.

Arsenal are in a different place now, pushing for the league title rather than dreaming of European qualification, and they believe they have created a different environment at the club. If Jorginho can fit into the squad and provide immediate support in a crucial area of the pitch then he will, of course, be worth the investment.

The transfer errors of the not-so-distant past have left scars for many Arsenal fans, though, and those supporters will be justified in reserving judgement for now. Arteta and sporting director Edu have earned the right to sign whoever they want – but many Arsenal fans will only believe in this latest ex-Chelsea player when they see the deal is working.