Mikel Arteta may have been handed the perfect solution to Arsenal’s ambitions to finally land the Premier League title next season after Holland overcame Romania 3-0 at Euro 2024. The Dutch moved into the quarter-final stage courtesy of a dominant display, which centred around midfielder Tijjani Reijnders.
The 25-year-old has been one of the players of the tournament in Germany so far, and produced another controlled display in Munich.
The AC Milan star again impressed with his range of passing, and controlled the tempo in the middle as his side eased through courtesy of a Cody Gakpo goal and two late strikes from Donyell Malen.
Ronald Koeman arrived in Germany with his squad having been dealt two major blows, with both Frenkie de Jong and Teun Koopmeiners ruled out of the tournament. Intriguingly, their absence has scarcely been mentioned by pundits and fans given the manner in which Reijnders has stepped up.
And Arteta would be well advised to have taken note. The addition of Declan Rice undoubtedly boosted the Gunners last season, but the injury problems of Thomas Partey meant a regular selection problem for the Spaniard.
Indeed, the Ghanaian was confined to just 16 club appearances in the 2023/24 campaign, with his future at the Emirates now seemingly up-in-the-air. And with Jorginho now 32 and Kai Havertz favoured in a more advanced role, Reijnders could be an ideal candidate to slot in alongside Rice.
Tijjani Reijnders starred for Holland against Romania. (Image: Getty)
His willingness to press opposition and create with the ball at his feet would not only allow the English international to push forward more frequently, but also give Martin Odegaard extra licence to roam in attack. And Reijnders is also adept at getting into the area himself, scoring four times for Milan last season.
Club fans in north London have already noted his suitability, with many hailing his performance against Romania and hopeful Arsenal may make their move this summer. But another accomplished display from Reijnders against Turkey on Saturday, and European rivals are also likely to be circling.
And victory for Koeman’s men in that clash could mean rival bosses in England will have little choice but to take note. Holland could potentially play the Three Lions at the semi-final stage, as they bid to land their major tournamwent title since 1988.
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An obvious stumbling block in any potential pursuit would be that the star is only 12 months into a five-year deal with the Italian giants. But offloading Partey to help fund any deal would be worth the risk as the Gunners strive to finally overhaul Manchester City.
Reijnders would not be the final piece of the jigsaw, Arteta still needs a prolific striker before his squad can be truly void of question marks. But capturing the Dutchman would not only add an extra dimension to his engine room, but prove shrewd long-term business with his peak years still seemingly ahead of him.
