Why Michael Carrick Is Not the Answer for Arsenal

The January transfer window only recently shut in England, but stories are already beginning to circulate about Arsenal’s potential targets for the summer. Perhaps the most surprising name to have been mentioned thus far is that of Manchester United’s Michael Carrick.

Although the Gunners are likely to reinforce their midfield this summer, a move for Carrick surely remains hugely unlikely. 

The story has been reported on by Adrian Kajumba of the Mirror. He wrote:

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Wenger is plotting a fresh move for Carrick if he quits Manchester United at the end of the season.

The Arsenal boss is set to carry out a midfield overhaul in the summer with Mathieu Flamini, Mikel Arteta and Tomas Rosicky unlikely to be offered new deals when their contracts expire.

Southampton's £25m-rated anchorman Victor Wanyama is Wenger's top target to bolster his midfield.

But he has also been alerted by Carrick's potential availability, with the 34-year-old's current deal expiring in June and no offer of a new one yet on the table. 

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There is a certain logic to the story. Carrick has been a target for Arsenal in the past. Way back in 2004, then-Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp told BBC Sport the Gunners had lodged a bid for the central midfielder.

Wenger’s admiration hasn’t waned—in 2012/13, he surprisingly named the England international as his player of the year. Per David Hytner of the Guardian, the Arsenal manager said:

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I would choose Carrick. He is a quality passer. He could play for Barcelona, he would be perfectly suited to their game. He has a good vision and is an intelligent player, and it is for what he has achieved in his whole career as well. It is this year or never for him, just because he is 31 and after, they go down.

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However, as much as he clearly admires Carrick, the last sentence includes the major reason as to why he won’t end up at Arsenal. If Wenger was concerned about Carrick’s longevity at 31, he surely won’t move to sign him in the summer when he turns 35.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Arsenal could do with a player in the Carrick mould. Arteta’s contract expires this summer, and the Gunners will miss someone with his composure and class on the ball in the holding role.

Both Carrick and Arteta are players blessed with the ability to dictate the tempo of a game with their passing. Unfortunately, both also share a propensity for injury that has only increased with age.

Wenger must find a more long-term solution than the United man. One such example is Switzerland international Granit Xhaka. In January, WhoScored.com (h/t TalkSport) identified the Borussia Monchengladbach man as “the ideal midfielder” for Arsenal: 

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His best asset is his passing. Often deployed in a deeper midfield role, he is the player required to successfully retain possession and hold on to the ball to ensure the opposition are unable to instigate attacks. 

An average of 81.3 passes per game is bettered only by Bayern’s Xabi Alonso (91.7) and Dortmund’s Ilkay Gundogan (85.6) in the Bundesliga this season, reinforcing why passing is one of his statistically calculated strengths on WhoScored.com. With the onus in the Premier League now on possession, Xhaka is perhaps the ideal midfielder for any of the top teams in England.

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Pursuing a target such as Xhaka would make much more sense than investing a hefty salary in an ageing Carrick. 

PATRIK STOLLARZ/Getty Images

The last time Arsenal signed a veteran from Manchester United, it was hapless defender Mikael Silvestre in 2008. Wenger must learn from that disaster and look for a younger alternative.

If United are prepared to let Carrick go, there’s probably a reason.

James McNicholas is Bleacher Report's lead Arsenal correspondent and is following the club from a London base throughout 2015/16. Follow him on Twitter here.