Arsenal yesterday announced their first foray into the summer transfer market, with the news that Ivory Coast star Gervinho will join the club later this week from French champions Lille “subject to a regulatory processâ€.
The move comes as little surprise; the Gunners are long-term admirers of the 24 year-old and speculation has been rife for a number of months that the player‘s move to London was imminent.
While the move is, undoubtedly, a positive one, it has been somewhat overshadowed by the ongoing transfer sagas involving both Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Arsenal are currently on a pre-season tour of Malaysia right now and when asked of the pair’s respective futures yesterday, Arsene Wenger remained positive that the two will stay for next season, though the rumours are likely to run and run.
In keeping with the low-key nature of Gervinho’s arrival, Wenger only had this to say:
“Gervinho has just joined up for training today at London Colney. He signed last Thursday, and has just come back from his holidays.”
The Statistics
Gervinho began his career as an 18 year old at Belgian side KSK Beveren where, over the course of a couple of seasons, he scored 14 goals and made 5 assists in 61 league appearances. A move to Ligue 1 followed, and two seasons at Le Mans brought the Ivorian 8 goals and 12 assists from 67 games before Lille came calling.
Once again, Gervinho lasted the two years, with last season, in particular, showing a marked increase in his ability to effect a game. On his way to helping the club win their first domestic double for 57 years, Gervinho was the only player to hit double figures for both goals and assists for Rudi Garcia’s all-conquering side, with 15 and 10 respectively.
He broke into the Ivory Coast side in 2008 and has subsequently played for his country 25 times, scoring 6 times and making 2 assists.
The Prospects
Lille’s favoured formation was 4-3-3 last term and, with an emphasis on attack either home or away, Gervinho was given license to wreak havoc. Predominantly right-footed, he played right of a front three for the majority of the campaign and may offer Theo Walcott competition for a starting berth in Wenger’s first XI, though 11 starts wide left last season suggest he will offer Arsenal more versatility.
Gervinho’s prospects for 2011/12 will clearly be influenced by the futures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. In the unlikely event of both players staying at the Emirates this season, his number of starts will perhaps, initially, be limited, but if the Arsenal skipper goes, Nasri could take over in the central role and leave a space wide left for Gervinho to make his own.
Despite missing just one league game last season, Andrei Arshavin scored just six goals and a series of lacklustre performances suggest the Russian is anything but a guaranteed starter. If both Nasri and Fabregas depart, however, Gervinho seems set for a starting role. The fact that the Arsenal boss was in the market for Velez Sarsfield playmaker Ricardo Alvarez indicates he is looking to fill any gap created by Fabregas’ possible departure to Barcelona and, despite missing out to Inter for the player‘s signature, Wenger is clearly intent on replenishing his squad.
In terms of pricing, Nasri came in at 7.5 and Walcott 7.0 last season and it’s likely FPL will rank Gervinho along the same lines when the prices for next season are revealed later this month. It’s clear Arsenal have bagged themselves a player that will offer creativity and goal threat in equal measure, though just how quickly he will adapt to the more physical Premier League, only time will tell.
