Unai Emery Talks Up Denis Suarez amid Arsenal Rumours

Unai Emery says Denis Suarez has "qualities" Arsenal need as the Gunners continue to be linked with securing a loan move for the Barcelona midfielder in the final days of the January transfer window.

The head coach spoke after watching his team beat Cardiff City 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium in the Premier League on Tuesday night. He was asked about Suarez, per Charles Watts of Football.London:

"We need wingers. A player like Suarez, I know him. He played with me in Sevilla. His quality is this."

"The last news, I don't know because today my focus is on the match. I have not spoken with anyone, the club is working on that."

"Maybe tonight or tomorrow I will speak to know the news. But my idea is the same. If we can sign a player to help us, it's good for us."

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Emery's words add more weight to the idea Suarez will soon be an Arsenal player. Earlier in the day, Barca manager Ernesto Valverde said "let's hope it goes well" when asked about the potential transfer, per Tom Doyle of the London Evening Standard.

Arsenal are expected to wrap up a temporary deal for the 25-year-old playmaker soon. BBC Sport's David Ornstein cited unnamed reports in Spain noting how a breakthrough has occurred with Suarez agreeing to extend his Barcelona contract until 2020, safeguarding the club if the Gunners don't exercise an option to buy once the Spaniard's loan is complete at the end of the season.

If Arsenal do turn any temporary stay for Suarez into a permanent move, the decision will also benefit Manchester City. The Citizens will be due a payment of £4 million dating back to when they sold Suarez to Barca in 2013, according to Adam Crafton of the Daily Mail.

City have every chance of collecting this fee because Suarez will surely improve Emery's squad should he move to north London. He possesses the skill, close control and acceleration to thrive out wide and dribble the ball past markers.

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Those are traits Emery's Gunners have lacked this season. An absence of natural wingers hasn't helped, with Alex Iwobi and Henrikh Mkhitaryan both better suited in central areas than on the flanks.

Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey operate centrally, but there are question marks about each player. Ramsey is leaving the club in the summer to join Juventus on a free transfer, while Ozil has struggled for playing time on Emery's watch.

The 30-year-old made a first Premier League start since Boxing Day when he returned to the first XI as captain against Cardiff. His appearance continued the pattern of Arsenal's highest earner being rotated in and out of the team in recent months:

Suarez could bring fresh ingenuity to the middle of the park. He played there and flourished for Villarreal during the 2015/16 campaign, helping the Yellow Submarine reach the semi-final of the UEFA Europa League.

The intelligent No. 6 lifted the same trophy the previous season alongside Emery at Sevilla. Knowing what he's getting from Suarez could help Emery inspire a fast start to life in the Premier League from a versatile midfielder blessed with sound technique but lacking muscle.

Emery's latest words prove he could avoid the latter problem by trusting Suarez to add a missing dimension on the wings. It explains why the Gunners are working to push this deal through before Thursday's transfer deadline at 11 p.m. GMT.