- Arsenal surely need to strengthen in midfield after the latest Santi Cazorla injury blow
- The Spain international has been sorely missed in the Gunners’ squad for the last year
- Arsenal have been linked with Leon Goretzka and should also consider other options
- READ MORE: Arsenal star nearly lost his foot after ‘dangerous infection’ – Gruesome pics revealed by Spanish press
Arsenal will be devastated to learn of the latest injury blow to Santi Cazorla, with the Spaniard confirming via his Twitter that he was set for a further delay to his return to action.
Cazorla has been a big miss for the Gunners since his injury over a year ago now, and he’s admitted he’s had to undergo surgery again as the wait continues for his comeback.
Arsene Wenger should probably already have done more to strengthen in that part of the pitch, but this latest blow surely means new additions will come in before too long.
Of course, Arsenal are not known for spending their way out of trouble and are often patient with their injured stars, with the likes of Abou Diaby and Tomas Rosicky continuing at the club for many years despite barely playing.
Hopefully, Wenger won’t go down that route again, so here’s a look at five realistic signings he should be targeting to fill Cazorla’s boots…
Leon Goretzka
MORE: Arsenal transfer news
According to the Daily Mirror, Arsenal may already be thinking about strengthening in midfield as Wenger eyes Schalke contract rebel Leon Goretzka.
The 22-year-old looks a big talent after shining for club and country in recent times, showing that he could be a creative force for many top sides around Europe.
Arsenal may face plenty of competition for Goretzka’s signature, but if they could snap up the Germany international on a free transfer, he seems the ideal player to be a long-term replacement for Cazorla.
Ivan Rakitic
Diario Gol recently linked Barcelona’s Ivan Rakitic with Manchester United, while Don Balon followed that up by saying the Croatian could consider leaving the Nou Camp if they bring in Philippe Coutinho from Liverpool.
While there is yet to be reported interest from Arsenal, Rakitic could be available in the near future and looks another top passer who could fit in perfectly in Wenger’s side.
Rakitic also has the experience of winning major honours at Barca and could certainly go a long way to ensuring Arsenal don’t miss Cazorla too much.
Bernardo Silva
Not currently playing for Manchester City, Bernardo Silva is another wasted talent who could surely bring something to this Arsenal side.
The Portugal international shone for Monaco last season and a recent report from Gol Digital suggested Barcelona could consider a surprise move for him as a cheap alternative to Coutinho.
If Silva continues not to play at City, there’s no reason Arsenal shouldn’t be in there to try and offer him the first-team football a player of his ability deserves.
Nabil Fekir
Recently linked by the Daily Star with a move to Arsenal, Nabil Fekir’s current form suggests he may be being eyed with replacing Alexis Sanchez in mind.
The Chilean is out of contract with the Gunners in the summer, and Fekir has already hit double figures this season from an attacking midfield role.
However, the Lyon star is versatile and could adjust to a deeper role with Arsenal if required, which may be an option Wenger wants to think about now that he knows Cazorla is set for even longer on the sidelines.
Ruben Loftus-Cheek
Finally, a bit of a rogue suggestion, but could Arsenal do well to raid rivals Chelsea for talented young midfielder Ruben Lofus-Cheek?
The 21-year-old shone on his England debut recently and looks unlikely to get the chances he deserves at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea having a poor record of trusting their academy stars.
Arsenal have not been linked with Loftus-Cheek yet, but he looks a similarly skillful and creative player who could play the Cazorla role, and Arsenal have had success in signing bit-part players from Chelsea in the past, with William Gallas, Lassana Diarra and Petr Cech recent examples.