Jorginho Poised To Leave Arsenal Upon Contract Expiration
Arsenal midfielder Jorginho has decided that he will be leaving at the end of the season upon expiration of his contract. He had already expressed his wishes to leave Arsenal in January. However, the club decided to keep the Italian midfielder for the second half of the season.
Jorginho’s contract expires in May and there have been no indications of an extension of the contract from either side. The 33-year-old midfielder was signed by Arsenal for £12 million in 2023 from cross-London rivals Chelsea. He has been a precious asset of Mikel Arteta during this time span. He has played 78 games and has been a steadfast member in the midfield of the Gunners.
There has been a decline in game time for Jorginho, only making 9 League starts this season. Mikel Arteta has often preferred Thomas Partey in the defensive midfield role over Jorginho.
Jorginho’s agent has stated that he will begin transfer talks from 15th April. Teams from Saudi Arabia and Brazil are expected to demonstrate interest. Jorginho came to England in the summer of 2018 and made his mark on the English football scene. It could be a dream end to his Arsenal career by adding another Champions League winners’ medal to his trophy cabinet, which he won at Chelsea in 2021.
What Next For Jorginho and Arsenal
The Brazilian club Flamengo have expressed interest in signing the Italian midfielder. They expect to offer Jorginho a three-year deal. Flamengo have identified him as the perfect replacement for their Chilean midfielder Erik Pulgar, expected to leave in the summer.
This is also in line with Jorginho’s interests, because he has always indicated that he wants to move back to the country of birth. He has been seen, recently, around Rio de Janeiro, and by the rumour mills, he might be on the pitch in that city playing next season. Jorginho is currently out with an unfortunate chest injury. It is possible that he may already have played his last game for the club.
Meanwhile, Arsenal do need some midfield enforcement going into the new season with Thomas Partey’s contract also coming to an end this summer. It is widely reported that Real Sociedad midfielder Zubimendi has signed a deal with Arsenal already.
Across Europe, Martin Zubimendi is highly regarded by people, and it would be a big coup for Arsenal to get his services. It is a well-known fact that Liverpool eagerly pursued Zubimendi last summer, but the player turned them down. Arsenal would also very much like to extend Partey’s contract to improve the squad depth in the midfield area.
Jorginho signed a one-year contract extension with Arsenal last year. However, now looks like the perfect time for both of them to part ways and move ahead in their trajectories. With Arsenal looking to make significant moves in this transfer window, it seems like the club has decided Jorginho is now surplus to the requirement.
AUTHORS OPINION
Arsenal signed Jorginho on the deadline day of the January transfer window in 2023. Jorginho was to boost their midfield while Arsenal were on their first title charge under Mikel Arteta. Arsenal could not hold on to their lead that season but Jorginho has proven to be nothing less than an ideal professional. He has consistently performed at a respectable level whenever asked. It would not be wrong to suggest that Arsenal did a shrewd bit of business with the Jorginho deal.
For Jorginho, his career has scaled leaps and bounds since he came to England. The following years have led to him winning illustrious European silverware, including the Champions League and Europa League. In terms of personal milestones, Jorginho secured a podium finish in the prestigious Ballon d’or 2021 alongside Messi and Lewandowski.
A player who always seems to remain calm under pressure and seemingly press-resistant. It would be fitting for him to spend the twilight of his career in the land of “Joga Bonito”.
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