Ferdinand warns Arsenal over new signing he’s been ‘known to criticise’ but names a ‘positive’ | OneFootball

Rio Ferdinand thinks the addition of Jorginho could be a “good signing” for Arsenal but has a warning for the Gunners over his physicality.

The Gunners signed the Italy international from Chelsea for around £12m on deadline day after ending their pursuit of Brighton midfielder Moises Caicedo.

Arsenal needed another player in midfield after losing Mohamed Elneny for months with a serious knee injury.

There has been a mixed reaction from Arsenal fans and former players about the signing but, despite criticising him in the past, Ferdinand reckons he will prove to be a “shrewd” bit of business from the Gunners.

Ferdinand said on his Vibe with FIVE YouTube channel: “I think it’s a good signing. I think it’s shrewd.

“I’ve been known to criticise Jorginho and just to clarify that, I was criticising him because the way Chelsea played when he first got there, it didn’t help him.

“There were too many big spaces around him and he was being exposed physically, with a lack of pace and dynamism. They changed the way they played with and without the ball and got bodies near him to help him and that made him a better player.

“Whatever you think of him, he’s a fine passer of the ball, especially cutting through the lines, he keeps it ticking, we saw that with Italy in the Euros.

“He’s a fine technician on the ball and I think he will be a point of difference to [Thomas] Partey. He can come in if need be and fill that gap with the experience he’s got.

“I don’t see him being a starter for Arsenal, I’ve got to be honest. I don’t think Jorginho is a long-term signing. He’s a stop-gap and they will get a big midfielder in the summer.

“But everything I hear about him as a pro has been positive. Nothing but positive. In the changing room, he’s a leader, he talks and he demands high standards from his team-mates.

“I bet he can’t wait to go there because Arsenal are top of the Premier League!”

Former Sheffield United and Tottenham midfielder Michael Brown is concerned that Jorginho will go from a starter to being benched most weeks but reckons he will “fit in perfectly” at Arsenal.

“He’ll fit in perfectly with Arsenal’s philosophy,” Brown told BBC Sport. “He is so cool and he comes having won the Champions League and the Euros, carrying all that success. In a team playing with confidence, he can be a wonderful signing.

“The only thing that concerns me is that he can disappear when the going gets tough. How can he go from being such a great player in that team all the time to not being able to get a game? That does concern me slightly.

“But, for those Arsenal players, it will be exciting having Jorginho join and he will be a big lift to the dressing room.”