Arsenal Transfer Rumors: 5 Reasons Yoann Gourcuff Is Perfect for the Gunners

There has been a lot of transfer talk swirling around Arsenal, but Arsene Wenger hasn't managed to back the rumors up with actual purchases. So far, he has only bought Carl Jenkinson, a young Finn from Charlton, and Ivorian Gervinho from OSC Lille. 

There are a lot of midfielders linked to the Gunners, and there are several articles here on Bleacher Report about which midfielders Wenger should buy and why. Some of those articles have dropped names like Eden Hazard, Marek Hamsik, Xabi Alonso, Wesley Sneijder, Kaka, Ganso, and many more. One of the mentions in those articles is Yoann Gourcuff.

Frenchman Gourcuff has been linked with Arsenal since the days that he was at Bordeaux. The 25-year-old's former clubs include Rennes, Milan, and Bordeaux, as he now plays with Olympique Lyonnais. Gourcuff was a starter for the French international team in South Africa, but unfortunately for him and his country, France didn't even make it to the knockout stages.

I think that Gourcuff would be perfect for Arsenal. Here's why.

Chemistry with Marouane Chamakh

A couple of years ago at Bordeaux, Gourcuff teamed up with Marouane Chamakh to form maybe the most dynamic midfielder-striker duo in Ligue 1. Gourcuff assisted Chamakh countless times, as the Moroccan international finished well, too.

Last year, Chamakh arrived at Arsenal for free, but he hasn't been doing as well as he was expected to. He hasn't been getting much playing time, due to the fact that his form has taken a severe blow for no apparent reason.

I think that Gourcuff's possible move to Arsenal could help himself and Chamakh. It could help him get adjusted to Arsenal, given that his dynamic and chemisty with Chamakh is very good. The second reason is that he could help Marouane pick his form back up.

It would be great if the Gourcuff-Chamakh duo could be recreated, except this time at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal Lack Shooting Range

One major thing that Arsenal players don't have is the ability to shoot from outside of the eighteen yard box. Sure, Robin van Persie can shoot a free kick or two from range, but he's really not very consistent from distance.

Gourcuff, however, is a great long distance shooter; he has scored several goals from outside the box, with his power and precision. Not only that, but he is an excellent free kick taker, and he would tremendously help the Gunners from set pieces.

Sometimes watching Arsenal can be frustrating for Gooners, because the opponent can shoot very well from long range, while Arsenal can't. It also has been a problem in the past that Arsenal players haven't shot until they are close to the goal.

By way of long distance shooting, Gourcuff will add another threat to Arsenal's arsenal.

Possible Departures of Fabregas and Nasri

Arguably Arsenal's two best players, Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have both been linked away from the club.

Fabregas, who grew up in Barcelona, has openly stated his desire to return to Catalonia. He used to train at La Masia (the Barcelona youth academy), and he has family and friends there, too. However, this summer, Barcelona have already made bids for Cesc, only to have them rejected by Arsene Wenger. No matter what, Blaugrana fans want Fabregas in Barcelona, and if not this year, he will probably end up going next year.

Samir Nasri, the former Marseille player who was dubbed "the New Zidane", has also publicly announced his hunger for trophies. Arsenal, who haven't won a trophy in over five years, aren't able to satisfy that need of his. There are, however, two teams who have been targeting the Frenchman: Manchester United and Manchester City. United would be a good bet for Nasri, as they win titles fairly consistently. If he doesn't leave this year, more likely in a year or two.

Gourcuff would be a perfect replacement for either one of these players. Though his style is more like Nasri's, he can play the role of Fabregas when he needs to.

Gourcuff's Slump at Lyon

After playing sensational football at Bordeaux, Gourcuff became an instant target for several clubs. Among them were Arsenal, Manchester City, Lyon, and many others. Olympique Lyonnais won out against all those other clubs, as Gourcuff went to join compatriots Hugo Lloris, Jeremy Toulalan, Anthony Revelliere, and others.

However, the way Gourcuff played at Lyon couldn't even compare with how he was doing at Bordeaux; his form had dropped completely. The Frenchman scored just three goals in 24 games, while recording just four assists in the same amount of time.

Sometimes, joining a new club can be the best way for someone to regain their form, and that would be exactly what could happen if he were to move to the Emirates. It could be a fresh start for Gourcuff, who might just want to leave, given his bad form.

Going to Arsenal might help him pick up his form.

He's French

Arsene Wenger has a history of signing people from French speaking countries. For example, last year, there was a point when the back four had three Frenchman (Sagna, Squillaci, and Clichy) and one Swiss (Djourou). It was the same case a few years ago, where instead of Squillaci and Djourou, it was William Gallas and Kolo Toure.

Here is a whole list of Frenchmen that Wenger has signed: Thierry Henry, Patrick Viera, Robert Pires, Bacary Sagna, Gael Clichy, Sebastien Squillaci, William Gallas, Jeremie Aliadiere, Pascal Cygan, Mathieu Flamini, Abou Diaby, and Samir Nasri. 

You might just have noticed that Wenger likes to sign French people.

So I think that Gourcuff would fit in with all the other Frenchman, while having a good dynamic with the coach, who also comes from France. 

Conclusion

For these five reasons, I think that Yoann Gourcuff would adjust to Arsenal in no time at all, and he might even be able to help Arsenal to a trophy.

For me, he's worth the money.

Tell me whether you think he should be signed.