Emery’s master plan – Why this £35m midfield beast could be the ideal partner for Ramsey at Arsenal

According to reports, new Arsenal boss Unai Emery intends to make Aaron Ramsey central to his plans next season.

Ramsey has been in talks with the club over a new deal for several months but has failed to come to an agreement so far. Emery, who was appointed on Wednesday as Arsene Wenger’s replacement, seems to want Arsenal and Ramsey agree to a pact as quickly as possible.

Emery has the big job of rebuilding the Arsenal squad and bring back the glory days. It will be tough, given that Wenger managed the Gunners for 22 long years but despite him leaving, the Frenchman has left a legacy behind which Emery has to continue.

For taking back Arsenal to the top of the Premier League and making them a force in Europe, Emery cannot just sell the entire squad and use that money to reinvest. What the Spaniard can do is keep the core of the team intact and dispose of the deadwood, which would allow a couple of fresh players to come in.

The Gunners are in desperate need of reinforcements, especially in defence and the midfield. Signing a defender is as important as signing a defensive midfielder. In terms of options in midfield, Arsenal have the likes of Mohamed Elneny, Jack Wilshere, Granit Xhaka and Ramsey but barring Elneny, none of them is a defensive midfielder.

Emery wants a defensive midfielder and is eyeing OGC Nice’s Jean-Michael Seri, who has a release clause of £35m. Emery reportedly tried signing Seri for PSG in January and is now poised to revive his interest in the midfielder.

Seri is the archetypal all-round midfielder who is capable of playing in a defensive role and also in an advanced position. Small but possessing a powerful frame, Seri has established himself as one of the most in-demand midfielders in Europe.

There is a touch of flair in Seri’s game as he uses his intelligence and willingness to drive with the ball from midfield. The Ivorian is so calm and composed on the ball and his ability to spot a pass is second to none. Capable of playing as a deep-lying playmaker or in a double-pivot, Seri bursts into life when he picks up the ball and releases it precisely for the attacking players to feast on.

A prominent central midfielder who enjoys getting forward in transition, Seri fits the bill perfectly at Arsenal. He would form a formidable partnership with Ramsey, who loves to get into the box and pop up with important goals. Seri’s signing would also give the license to Granit Xhaka to play his game freely without any pressure.

Retaining Ramsey is crucial for Arsenal and Emery clearly knows that. Maybe that’s why the Spanish boss wants to make Ramsey and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as his two keystones to build his new club around.

So as it stands, signing Seri from Nice is of equal importance as to that of extending Ramsey’s deal ahead of next season. Both Seri and Ramsey can work well in tandem next season as Emery plans to get Arsenal back among Europe’s elite.