Arsenal’s latest £51m target makes zero sense and only hinders Ethan Nwaneri further

Arsenal’s transfers in recent years have, in the main, been spot on but there are also certain signings and links that make no sense.

Andrea Berta and the ownership have done a good job in the last few windows of plugging the gaps Mikel Arteta wants and adding quality to the squad.

Indeed, while this summer has been relatively quiet, the signing of Bruno Guimaraes is key, while Illan Meslier adds strength in depth in goal.

However, while we all know a new forward and right-back are wanted, Arsenal’s latest link to yet another midfielder makes no sense.

Arsenal signing Jack Hinshelwood is bad news for others

Overnight reports from The Sun are claiming that Arsenal are one of the big teams leading a race to sign Brighton midfielder, Jack Hinshelwood.

Hinshelwood, 21, has nailed down a starting place in Fabian Hurzeler’s team and produced good enough form to catch the attention of the Gunners.

However, at a price of around £51m and with Arsenal having their own production line, this link makes little sense.

There are a few reasons, too.

Firstly, Hinshelwood isn’t getting into Arsenal’s first XI. He just isn’t at the level of Rice, Odegaard and Guimaraes, or even Zubimendi, and would spend plenty of time on the bench.

Furthermore, and more important in some people’s eyes, is that signing a young midfielder from elsewhere only pushes Arsenal’s own young talents further down the pecking order.

Both Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly can play in midfield and if Hinshelwood arrives, one would assume he takes priority over those two.

Arsenal have been stung before in buying a midfielder who doesn’t improve things in Christian Norgaard.

And while Hinshelwood is young enough to improve and develop, spending north of £50m on nothing more than a squad player makes little sense.