Arsenal's next signing? 39 out of 40 tackles won and available for FREE!

Posted Saturday, September 20, 2014 by Talksport.co.uk

Arsenal's lack of a talented defensive midfielder is a familiar gripe among the club's fans and one that was even more prevalent following the Gunners' toothless defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League this week.

Once a position that provided such a source of strength for Arsene Wenger's sides, it has turned into something of an Achilles heel, as fans and commentators alike accuse the Gunners of lacking any 'backbone' and 'fight' in the middle of the pitch.

That was no more apparent than on Tuesday evening, when Mikel Arteta – albeit returning from injury – struggled to impose himself on the game and on Dortmund’s constantly busy midfield, leading many to claim that the Spaniard’s days at the club could be numbered.

But what is the solution? There have been a number of suggestions that Wenger will reignite his one-time interest in Southampton bruiser Victor Wanyama, but by the time the Gunners are able to attempt to bring him to the club, it could be too late.

Arsenal need to address the issue sooner rather than later, leaving the club with few real options. One such option is the return of a player who left the club nearly seven years ago – Lassana Diarra, who is currently without a club, after leaving Lokomotiv Moscow. But is the Frenchman worth a punt?

Arsenal's next signing? 39 out of 40 tackles won and available for FREE!

As far as ability goes, Diarra’s statistics suggest that he is still perfectly capable of doing a job at the Emirates.

Once heralded as the 'new Claude Makelele', there are instant similarities between the two when looking at Diarra's numbers. His passing stats alone show that he is comfortable in possession and regularly finds a teammate, wherever he is on the pitch.

Another area of real promise is in his tackling. While he has never been a socks-down, rough and tumble tackler akin to Mathieu Flamini, Diarra is relatively effective a breaking up player, something Arsenal need.

However, there remain a couple of serious questions that need to be asked of this player. One is his attitude. For all of his apparent talents, there must be a reason why Diarra has played for six clubs in the past eight years.

Mitigating circumstances aside – Anzhi Makhachkala transfer listed all of their players following financial problems – Diarra is seemingly unhappy when not playing regularly, and Arsenal have seen this particular side of him following his unsavoury exit last time around. With that in mind, would Wenger want to deal with that potential bombshell again?

Another – perhaps more pertinent question – regards his fitness. Diarra's last match came in May 2014, four months ago, and while he passed a medical ahead of his ultimately failed move to Queens Park Rangers on transfer deadline day, he will be nowhere near ready to step into first team football immediately.

Herein is arguably the most important factor. If Wenger is to address his apparent problems immediately, he needs a player technically competent who can step in immediately. While Diarra's talents alone make him worth offering a short-term deal, there is no telling how long he will take to get up to speed.