Arsenal plan to open contract negotiations with midfielder with deal set to enter final 12 months | OneFootball

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·17 June 2021

Arsenal plan to open contract negotiations with midfielder with deal set to enter final 12 months

Article image:Arsenal plan to open contract negotiations with midfielder with deal set to enter final 12 months

Arsenal are planning to re-open contract negotiations with midfielder Mohamed Elneny, according to Football.London.

Elneny, signed for Arsenal in January 2016, while Arsene Wenger was still in charge at the Emirates, has gone on to make 130 appearances for the Gunners, scoring five goals.


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The Egyptian has never been totally successful in his efforts to force his way into the Arsenal starting eleven, but remains a good option to have in reserve, especially for a club short on options in that area of the field.

Article image:Arsenal plan to open contract negotiations with midfielder with deal set to enter final 12 months

Having spent the 2019/20 campaign on-loan with Besiktas, Elneny returned for last season to compete for minutes under Mikel Arteta. He enjoyed more game-time than in any season prior.

The 28-year-old now appears to have done enough to earn himself an extension to his contract, which has just one year left to run, or so Football.London report.

Football.London believe that Arsenal will be re-opening talks with Elneny over signing a new contract, with negotiations having initiated began back in April, before stalling.

There is a suggestion in the report that the idea to extend his deal is a ploy to protect his market value, with his deal currently due to expire on June 30th of next year.

Article image:Arsenal plan to open contract negotiations with midfielder with deal set to enter final 12 months

However, with Granit Xhaka closing in on a move to AS Roma, as has been reported by Sky Sports, you imagine Elneny will have a role to play under Arteta next season.

Xhaka’s departure would leave just Elneny and Thomas Partey as options in the pivot for Arteta, which even in itself is insufficient – there’s no way they’d allow another to depart.

There’s still every possibility that Elneny’s future, beyond the 2021/22 campaign, will lie beyond Arsenal, but not if it leaves them exposed in midfield, and not without a penny being given in exchange.

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