Arsenal Transfer News: Ilkay Gundogan Rumours Addressed by Arsene Wenger

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has ruled out making a move for Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in the January transfer window.

The Frenchman was quizzed on potential midseason acquisitions during his weekly press conference, and when asked about the creative midfield player, he revealed it’s not an area of the team that the club is looking to strengthen, per Arsenal.com: “He’s not a defender. At the moment we are looking more in the defensive department.”

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Here’s a look at why Gundogan is rated as one of European football’s brightest midfield players:

According to John Cross of the Daily Mirror, the Gunners have been keeping tabs on the Dortmund man given that he only has 18 months remaining on his contract. But while the quoted figure of £16 million would be a snip for a player who has proven to be a major hit at the very highest level of European football, it’d be a rapacious acquisition.

It’s something that Bleacher Report’s Arsenal correspondent James McNicholas agrees with, per Bleacher Report UK:

Arsenal supporters may be disappointed to hear that the club are not pursuing a potentially world-class talent in Gundogan, but they should be encouraged by Wenger’s revelation that he is looking to finally address the perennial issues that have persistently hampered this team in defensive areas of the pitch.

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A player more defensively minded in the middle of the pitch would add plenty to this Arsenal lineup, and as noted in Cross’ piece, Morgan Schneiderlin remains on the club’s radar; Bleacher Report’s Sam Tighe thinks he would be a wonderful acquisition:

It’ll be intriguing to see how the situation develops with Gundogan at Dortmund, but after Wenger’s recent comments, a move to the Emirates midseason looks very unlikely. Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp will not want to be in a predicament in which he has another player running down a contract, and subsequently, if a team make a bid for the player, it’ll be taken seriously.

At this juncture, he simply isn’t the right fit for Arsenal, though. Thankfully, after negating his duty to add some defensive steel in the summer, it looks as if Wenger has finally realised that’s the case, too.