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This 6ft tall Frenchman would be a brilliant fit for Arsenal and Unai Emery must get him in January

Why Yann M’Vila would be a perfect fit for Unai Emery’s Arsenal

Sunderland have faded into obscurity after suffering back-to-back relegations and most of the star players that they had in their ranks have been sold to other clubs in Europe. Frenchman Yann M’Vila was one of the bright sparks of the Black Cats’ lacklustre 2015/16 season in the Premier League and played an important role in their bid for survival.

Yann M’Vila, who was on a season-long loan spell from Russian club Rubin Kazan, was a key cog in Sunderland’s midfield. Following an impressive season in the Premier League, the French international returned to Rubin Kazan and continued to flourish in Russia. He joined St.Etienne in January last season and has continued his merry way in Ligue 1.

A tactically versatile midfielder, M’Vila is comfortable in defensive, central and holding roles in the midfield but has also been used in a box-to-box role for his superior work rate.

The 28-year-old has also earned praises for his incredible vision which has prompted many managers to use him as a deep-lying or a withdrawn playmaker.

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Standing tall at 6ft. with a robust frame, the Frenchman has just the perfect physique for a combative midfielder. He is not particularly tall but his sharpness and body strength allow him to cope with the opposition in the midfield.

He is a good reader of the game in the air as well, beating his counterparts to the aerial balls and breaking up the play with crucial tackles and interceptions.

M’Vila is also known for his flawless passing and immaculate distribution which allows him to dictate the tempo of the game in the middle of the park.

His composure on the ball and impressive passing range help the team to build the play from the back. Furthermore, he is a player with good work ethics and is never afraid to put his body on the line for the sake of his team.

M’Vila averaged 45.3 passes per game with an accuracy of 81.4%, including 2.8 long balls per game in the 2015/16 season in the Premier League with Sunderland.

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To add to that, he also averaged 2.7 tackles, 2.3 interceptions and 3 clearances per game in that season, figures which are enough to prove that he is a midfielder who is tailor-made for the style of play prevalent in the Premier League.

To put things into perspective, Yann M’Vila would be a great addition to Arsenal in January as he ticks all the boxes to be a perfect fit for Unai Emery’s pressing football. The Frenchman’s ability to cut out the attacks, press the opposition off the ball and retain possession should make him an important player at the Emirates.

Arsenal need to add more depth to their squad to cover for the departures of Aaron Ramsey, Mohamed Elneny and Danny Welbeck. Ramsey is set to head for the exit door in the summer while Elneny is another player who has been linked (h/t Mirror) with a move away from north London.

The loss of some of their long-serving players is likely to deal a huge blow to their squad depth and someone like M’Vila can certainly add that sense of stability and reliability to the midfield.

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In fact, he can find himself in the starting eleven if he can impress Emery with his performances. Granit Xhaka has shown that he is not the best choice when it comes to retaining the ball and M’Vila can be an upgrade in that aspect.

That said, Arsenal should start pursuing an interest in the former Sunderland star as he ticks all the boxes to take them to the next level.