Arsenal: Ilaix Moriba Barcelona development a transfer invitation for Mikel Arteta to explore in the summer transfer window. (Photo by David S. Bustamante/Soccrates/Getty Images)
It’s a profound story around Barcelona’s current situation. A tale of mismanagement so dire you’d need to pinch yourself upon hearing of it. They are a club in financial disarray and if you’re Arsenal, you’re taking note.
A month into the summer transfer window and Arsenal are yet to sign anyone, although the shirt aloft signing photos are just around the corner.
Youth players like Arthur Okonkwo and Kido Talyor-Hart are exciting contract extensions. They follow a trend in north London that is more than welcome to stay.
As for actual new signings, Nuno Tavares is down to be the Gunners’ first of this summer and Albert Sambi Lokonga is not far behind. Two solid acquisitions but neither whom will be making a major impression on the first team next season.
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Arsenal: Ilaix Moriba Barcelona development a transfer invitation for Mikel Arteta to explore in the summer transfer window
While additions to make an immediate impact, especially in midfield, are essential for the coming campaign, that doesn’t mean Arsenal should stop short when it comes to ‘prospect‘ purchases. Especially not when they’re going to be available on the cheap and have risen through none other than the famed La Masia.
Barcelona, crippled with over £1bn worth of debt, are incredibly stupid. No other way of describing it. With unpaid loans and transfer fees owed they still decided to take out more loans to buy the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Phillipe Coutinho for over £100m each, three players who have not contributed anywhere near enough to warrant their outlays.
There are more strings to their rotten bow but in need of removing astronomical wages off their bill in order to fund a new Lionel Messi contract, keep within La Liga laws, continue existing and actually register the new players they’ve brought in, sales and loan moves out of the club are paramount.
Big earners such as Frenkie de Jong would, of course, be the most welcome of all now there is a genuine possibility of tough decisions like those being made, but he’s also not going to join Arsenal over others.
Further down the first team pecking order there are more options to explore and few are as enticing as Ilaix Moriba.
As confirmed by Dermot Corrigan, the 18-year-old has not been called back to pre-season training as a contract stand-off between player and club has left his Blaugrana career in limbo. Moriba is out of contract in 2022 with reports in Spain, including RAC1, claiming the teenager’s representatives have laid out a list of demands that Barca deem ‘unacceptable’.
This is Arsenal’s chance at a roll of the dice.
Continued…
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<h2>Arsenal: Ilaix Moriba Barcelona development a transfer invitation for Mikel Arteta to explore in the summer transfer window</h2>
<p>While additions to make an immediate impact, especially in midfield, are essential for the coming campaign, that doesn’t mean Arsenal should stop short when it comes to ‘<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/03/arsenal-5-reasons-arteta-edu-praise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prospect</a>‘ purchases. Especially not when they’re going to be available on the cheap and have risen through none other than the famed La Masia.</p>
<p>Barcelona, crippled with over £1bn worth of debt, are incredibly stupid. No other way of describing it. With unpaid loans and transfer fees owed they still decided to take out <em>more </em>loans to buy the likes of Antoine Griezmann, Ousmane Dembele and Phillipe Coutinho for over £100m each, three players who have not contributed anywhere near enough to warrant their outlays.</p>
<p>There are more strings to their rotten bow but in need of removing astronomical wages off their bill in order to fund a new Lionel Messi contract, keep within La Liga laws, continue existing and actually register the new players they’ve brought in, <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/07/arsenal-transfer-pjanic-loan-barcelona/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sales and loan moves</a> out of the club are paramount.</p>
<p>Big earners such as Frenkie de Jong would, of course, be the most welcome of all now there is a genuine possibility of tough decisions like those being made, but he’s also not going to join Arsenal over others.</p>
<p>Further down the first team pecking order there are more options to explore and few are as enticing as Ilaix Moriba.</p>
<p>As confirmed by <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://twitter.com/dermotmcorrigan/status/1413467205954510857" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dermot Corrigan</a>, the 18-year-old has not been called back to pre-season training as a contract stand-off between player and club has left his Blaugrana career in limbo. Moriba is out of contract in 2022 with reports in Spain, including <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://www.mundodeportivo.com/futbol/fc-barcelona/20210604/494119553303/barca-rac1-ilaix-moriba-renovacion.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RAC1</a>, claiming the teenager’s representatives have laid out a list of demands that Barca deem ‘unacceptable’.</p>
<p>This is Arsenal’s chance at a roll of the dice.</p>
<p><em>Continued…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Ilaix Moriba worth a shot by Arsenal </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="size-large wp-image-117045" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_389,w_590/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1319675527-850x560.jpeg" alt="Ilaix Moriba, Arsenal" width="590" height="389"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:590px;">EIBAR, SPAIN – MAY 22: Ilaix Moriba of FC Barcelona reacts during the La Liga Santander match between SD Eibar and FC Barcelona at Estadio Municipal de Ipurua on May 22, 2021 in Eibar, Spain. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Arsenal Must Try Their Hand at Signing Ilaix Moriba From Barcelona</h2>
<p>A new offer has been presented to Moriba by Barcelona but he (or his representatives) are not looking like agreeing to those terms.</p>
<p>Unless a compromise can be met, and at present it’s growing increasingly unlikely that is to be the case, Moriba will be sold so as to avoid risking him walking away for free in 12 months’ time.</p>
<p>Every club in Europe should be on the phone right now. Including Arsenal.</p>
<p>The midfielder is the quintessential box-to-box profile. Big in the tackle in his own half but at his belligerent best when driving with the ball, he’s built to play in midfield.</p>
<p>Standing at nearly 6’1″ he boasts excellent pace which is unusual for midfielders of his ilk. A La Masia graduate is expected to have a high level of technical ability and Moriba, while still very early in his development, is finding ways to blend that with the athletic carrying ability of a marauding winger.</p>
<p>Having only played 542 minutes of football last season across 14 matches, all his numbers have to be tempered with the obvious caveat of sample size, as well as when he comes on in matches which is usually when Barcelona are comfortably winning near the end.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, with a good pinch of salt, he has a npxG+xA of 0.32 (95th percentile) and 96+ percentile passing accuracy across <em>all</em> ranges. Similarly he’s 99th percentile for pressing in the middle and final third with all other elements of his game delightfully in line with the requirements of a box-to-box player.</p>
<p>While this can’t be taking at absolute value they do offer an indication of his mindset and approach in matches.</p>
<p>A special talent who on his current trajectory wouldn’t just flourish in the <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://www.90min.com/leagues/premier-league" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Premier League</a>, but flourish everywhere. It is hard to ignore the Paul Pogba comparisons though, and his frame with some work in the gym would be also tailor-made for English football, which is why no club shouldn’t be trying their hand this summer.</p>
<p>What are Arsenal’s chances? Probably not great. They do, however, have a good relationship with Barcelona and the Spanish connection with Mikel Arteta may appeal to the Guinean-born 18-year-old, who has represented Spain at Under-17 level.</p>
<div class="fs-shortcode" data-type="StoryLink" data-theme="dark" data-text="Arsenal the new All Or Nothing stars" data-url="https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-amazon-documentary/" data-call-to-action="Next"> <div class="story-link-next"> <a class="story-link-next-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="story-link-next-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-ilaix-moriba-transfer-invitation/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2021/07/09/arsenal-amazon-documentary/"> <span class="call_to_action">Next:</span> Arsenal the new All Or Nothing stars </a> </div>
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<p>Arsenal are known for giving opportunities to young players and while the current state of the midfield is crying out for a certified starter – and Albert Sambi Lokonga is the young addition to be made this summer – opportunities like Moriba are always worth trying for.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
