Arsenal FC expert Charles Watts has expressed his surprise at how little we’ve seen of Jorginho so far this season after the Gunners worked so hard to keep hold of him and tie him down to a new deal not that long ago.
The experienced Italy international has shone since joining Arsenal from rivals Chelsea midway through the 2022/23 season, clearly making an impact both on and off the pitch, according to Watts, who has described the 32-year-old as almost being like an extra member of Mikel Arteta’s coaching staff.
Still, even if Jorginho is no longer at the peak of his powers, he remains someone who can contribute something on the pitch, and Watts has admitted he’s surprised we haven’t seen more of him yet this season.
That will probably change now that Declan Rice is suspended for this weekend’s big game against Tottenham, while Arsenal also have the concern of Martin Odegaard being another possible injury in midfield.
Jorginho transfer: Arsenal not selling veteran midfielder
With that in mind, it’s not too surprising to see Watts also making it clear that any talk of AFC selling Jorginho is simply a non-starter – the north London giants can’t afford to lose him now, especially with the transfer window now being closed for Premier League clubs.
“I’ve been a little bit surprised that Mikel Arteta has not used Jorginho so far this season. He was so key at times last season and Arsenal worked really hard to keep him at the club when they got him to sign his new deal in May,” Watts said.
“Obviously we are still just getting into the new season and there is plenty of football still ahead of us. But I thought Jorginho would still get some minutes over those three games before the international break.
“So I find it quite interesting that he’s yet to be used. I’m sure that will change when club football kicks off again, especially with the Carabao Cup getting underway and the start of the new look Champions League.
“I’ve seen him linked with a possible move to Turkey, but that’s just not going to happen given the transfer window is now shut over here. It’s very similar to the Leandro Trossard to Saudi Arabia stuff.
“Even if the interest is there, Arsenal would just not be in the position to be able to let him go, given they are now unable to bring in a replacement.
“And even with his minutes seemingly being reduced for now, Jorginho is still such an important influence on the squad. He’s a leader and he still plays a key role off the pitch, even when he’s not playing on it.
“He’s so well regarded at the club. By his team-mates, by the coaching staff and by everyone else. He’s such a professional and you can see that on the touchline by the way he talks to his team-mates throughout the game when he’s warming up as a substitute. He’s basically an extra member of the coaching staff.”
