Mohamed Elneny: One Mo Year

[Yousif Arsenal]

I get it Mo's a good lad and has been loyal to Arsenal but what does loyalty mean here? He's turned down going to lesser clubs on what would be lesser money in Turkey or wherever, it's not like he's sacrificed anything for Arsenal

There is a middle ground though. Keep him on a rolling contract ( not squad registered) up till he's regained match fitness and found another club to move to on a free to.

People love the romance of it now but when we're not bringing in another DM as Elneny is taking up a squad place people will soon think differently. Will probably end Lokonga's time at Arsenal too, though he probably didn't have a future here anyway in fairness.

Putting it harshly (but fairly) Mo's deadweight now we have Jorginho.

He'll likely leave in summer anyways if he managed to get fully recovered I'll question his ambition as footballer when there will be Jorginho Partey and another midfielder ahead of him and still want to stay.

 

[field442]

Nice of the club to do it. I'm not bothered either way really. My issue with him renewing previously was how close he was to the first team but next season he'll be behind Partey, Jorginho and if we sign Rice he will play 6 ahead of him as well.

 

[<<reed>>]

Edu has done it again hasn't he?

 

[drippin]

I doubt the club will buy two midfielders next summer. Just Rice or someone like it.

Elneny is just another body who might be an emergency backup in a very likely UCL season. And it was a nice thing to do to extend him. Wonder what his wages are, likely less than current wages.

So keeping Elneny enables loaning Patino for one more season, to get him enough minutes to be ready for Arsenal level games. Lewis-Skelly will likely stay for U21 next season.

But with Elneny and Jorginho, there is a path for both. That might be the plan? Have to remember that Xhaka & Partey are also about 30 years old, so there has to be some money in the bank to replace them in later windows.

Surely Elneny is happy to get the extension while being injured, and he has always been a happy squaddie even if not playing much.

This would mean that there are basically two UCL level midfielders in Partey & Rice (& Ødegaard). Then there is Xhaka & Jorginho who are almost that level, and durable players. Plus Elneny for easy games and extreme backup. ESR can naturally play on the LW too, but he can't be depended on.

Thoughts?

DMF: Partey, Rice?, Jorginho, Elneny

LCM: Xhaka, ESR

RCM: Ødegaard, Vieira

 

[bingobob]

This was rumoured a while back and went quiet. Had we dropped points to Villa then this news isnt released imo. Seems like a good time to drop so so news.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

I get it Mo's a good lad and has been loyal to Arsenal but what does loyalty mean here? He's turned down going to lesser clubs on what would be lesser money in Turkey or wherever, it's not like he's sacrificed anything for Arsenal

There is a middle ground though. Keep him on a rolling contract ( not squad registered) up till he's regained match fitness and found another club to move to on a free to.

People love the romance of it now but when we're not bringing in another DM as Elneny is taking up a squad place people will soon think differently. Will probably end Lokonga's time at Arsenal too, though he probably didn't have a future here anyway in fairness.

Putting it harshly (but fairly) Mo's deadweight now we have Jorginho.

I think this is a rational take on it. The club wouldn't have done this if he was on 200k a week, but at his wage this is feasible. On the whole, this is more an investment in reputation. "At Arsenal we take care of our players" etc etc

 

[Sanchez11]

I hope they dropped the wage, were not charity fs

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

He'll likely leave in summer anyways if he managed to get fully recovered I'll question his ambition as footballer when there will be Jorginho Partey and another midfielder ahead of him and still want to stay.

Honestly, I think Mo will be here as long as he's got a contract at Arsenal.

He's had plenty of opportunities to leave over the years. I don't think game time really bothers him tbh. He'd prefer to play 15 games a season at Arsenal than be a week in week out starter in Turkey or wherever.

 

[Maybe]

He's had plenty of opportunities to leave over the years. I don't think game time really bothers him tbh. He'd prefer to play 15 games a season at Arsenal than be a week in week out starter in Turkey or wherever.

I think everyone would like to have a job with a nice salary and no responsibility, he goes to Turkey and suddenly there are expectations, not something guys like Mo would like. It's a nice life and I'm sure Mo will be happy and smile every day, that's what kept him here for so long

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

Hopefully this is only a 6 month or 1 year contract at absolute most.

As much of a nice guy and a solid pro as he is it should be spelt out kindly to him that he got this contract as Arsenal have a duty of care to a player injured in training for us. Not because he's someone in Arsenal's plans football wise.

Best for him to move on when fully fit, let him go on a free. That seems more than fair to him.

 

[DuBB]

I hope they dropped the wage, were not charity fs

And given that he was only on around £50k, similar to Flo Balogun, I see absolutely no problem.

A two way show of class on ours and his part.

What Arteta said is right. You can't come in every day and demand your players give the absolute maximum, and then turn around when they're in a moment like Mo is and not show the same thing back.


I'm a little disappointed in some of us who don't like this move. I said it before and I'll say it again;

We can't hold our heads up and act as if we're a classy club if we don't actually do classy things. And this is an inexpensive show of class for a player who'll probably never really play a meaningful minute for us again, whether he leaves this summer or in 2024.

 

[Paperino]

Isnt it more important to extend with Saka and Saliba?

 

[Rex Stone]

I get it Mo's a good lad and has been loyal to Arsenal but what does loyalty mean here? He's turned down going to lesser clubs on what would be lesser money in Turkey or wherever, it's not like he's sacrificed anything for Arsenal

There is a middle ground though. Keep him on a rolling contract ( not squad registered) up till he's regained match fitness and found another club to move to on a free to.

People love the romance of it now but when we're not bringing in another DM as Elneny is taking up a squad place people will soon think differently. Will probably end Lokonga's time at Arsenal too, though he probably didn't have a future here anyway in fairness.

Putting it harshly (but fairly) Mo's deadweight now we have Jorginho.

Can’t put a dollar value on the good vibes he brings.

Such an astute deal imo so have to disagree

 

[drippin]

Hopefully this is only a 6 month or 1 year contract at absolute most.

Surely it is until summer 2024. Didn't they extend him by a year last time too?

Ah, that tweet tells us that it is a wage drop and a year extension, like I thought.

 

[UpTheGunnerz]

He is here until retirement and then takes up a coaching role within the Arteta set up.

He is here to stay

Outlived Özil una

 

[Blood on the Tracks]

And given that he was only on around £50k, similar to Flo Balogun, I see absolutely no problem.

A two way show of class on ours and his part.

What Arteta said is right. You can't come in every day and demand your players give the absolute maximum, and then turn around when they're in a moment like Mo is and not show the same thing back.


I'm a little disappointed in some of us who don't like this move. I said it before and I'll say it again;

We can't hold our heads up and act as if we're a classy club if we don't actually do classy things. And this is an inexpensive show of class for a player who'll probably never really play a meaningful minute for us again, whether he leaves this summer or in 2024.

Mate, we laid off 50 employees during the pandemic. Some of who were probably living pay cheque to pay cheque. We're not a classy club.

Mo's a good lad so if a situation like this arises I'm glad he's the one who's getting the benefit of it but it's largely PR. The club will look after a guy like Mo's who's probably made £10m in wages here and is set for life financially already, they wouldn't do it for the largely nameless normal employees though.

 

[DuBB]

Mate, we laid off 50 employees during the pandemic. Some of who were probably living pay cheque to pay cheque. We're not a classy club.

Mo's a good lad so if a situation like this arises I'm glad he's the one who's getting the benefit of it but it's largely PR. The club will look after a guy like Mo's who's probably made £10m in wages here and is set for life financially already, they wouldn't do it for the largely nameless normal employees though.

Fair points. I won't push back on any of that.

In a perfect world we would do both, but we didn't.

 

[GoonerJeeves]

Isnt it more important to extend with Saka and Saliba?

It is, but I suspect they are vastly more complex deals. They will hold out for as good a deal as they can get, and the club needs them. They hold better cards.

Mo and club are more on the same page in that there is simply less money involved here, and shorter duration on the contract.

 

[pigge]

Watch this guy decide our league title game

 

[drippin]

Mate, we laid off 50 employees during the pandemic. Some of who were probably living pay cheque to pay cheque. We're not a classy club.

Mo's a good lad so if a situation like this arises I'm glad he's the one who's getting the benefit of it but it's largely PR. The club will look after a guy like Mo's who's probably made £10m in wages here and is set for life financially already, they wouldn't do it for the largely nameless normal employees though.

Why are people assuming Elneny won't play at all next season? Isn't it possible that he will be fit, and play easier games and be extreme backup?

I don't think it's all PR, it enables loaning Patino to get another full season on loan, similar to what Saliba needed, to be ready and firing for Arsenal.