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What's the rumour?
Arsenal have reportedly emerged as the latest suitors for Schalke midfielder, Maximillian Meyer. They will, however, have to go to war with Premier League rivals Liverpool, as well as German champions Bayern Munich and Serie A giants AC Milan for the German youngster, as reported by The Daily Star.
In case you didn't know...
The Schalke youngster is very versatile. He naturally plays as an attacking midfielder, in a number 10 role, but has the ability to make the shift further forward in a false 9 role or can also get back into midfield and play as a deep-lying playmaker.
He made his debut for Schalke in 2013 as a teenager and was given the number 7 shirt following his promotion to the first team.
Max Meyer has also gone on to represent Germany at all levels of youth football, right from U15 to U21 and was also a part of the senior team squad for the 2014 World Cup. Since his debut for the first team, Meyer has impressed many and gone on to establish himself in the first team of the Royal Blues.
The heart of the matter
This campaign, the 22-year-old has been used more in a deep-lying role, operating both in the defensive and centre of midfield. He has made only a single appearance in his natural attacking midfield role throughout this season.
However, it has still brought out the best of him as he adapted instantly to his new role.
He has become a guaranteed starter in the centre of midfield for Schalke. There may have been a decline in his number of goals and assists, but he has made up for that with his playmaking skills.
He averages 2 long balls per game with a successful pass completion rate of 90%. Defensively, he averages 3 interceptions and 2 tackles per game. Notably, he has been able to transform his game as per the needs and requirements of the manager.
Rumour probability/rating: 8/10
Meyer's contract expires in the summer, and he has gathered the attention of the top clubs, as a result of one of the best seasons of his career. Arsenal will be in the hunt for a new midfielder in the transfer window, and the fact that he could be available for free makes him a top target.
Arsene Wenger would also benefit from the presence of fellow German Mesut Ozil and former Schalke teammate, Sead Kolasinac in a bid to convince him to make the switch from Gelsenkirchen to London.
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Author's take
Arsenal seem to be in dire need of a holding midfielder, and Max Meyer would ideally fit in the midfield role alongside Granit Xhaka. Meyer has been with Schalke for the past five years, and this summer may be the right time for him to make the move.
The Emirates will be the perfect destination, trumping moves to Liverpool or Bayern Munich since they will already have summer arrivals in Naby Keita and Leon Goretzka, which may restrict his opportunities.
Similarly, he will also have the company of fellow Germans Mesut Ozil, Shkodran Mustafi and Per Mertesacker, as well as former Schalke teammate Kolasinac, which will help him in acclimatizing to life and football in England.
