Mikel Arteta has said that Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny’s injury has him worried, thereby ending any possibility of a transfer to Aston Villa this month. Due to a knee injury sustained earlier this month in training, Elneny was unable to make the journey to Tottenham Hotspur.
Many were concerned about Elneny’s well-being after he did not participate in Sunday’s home victory against Manchester United. Arteta’s comments on Elneny don’t bode well for the Egyptian midfielder.
Arteta has informed Arseblog that there are “concerns” regarding Elneny, primarily due to the fact that Elneny does not often complain about injuries. Arteta refused to provide a timeline for Elneny’s return, but it seems like Arsenal will be without him for some time. Earlier this month, Elneny was said to be considering a surprise exit from Arsenal.
There were rumours that Unai Emery, manager of Aston Villa, intended to sign Elneny during the transfer window (08/01, p.78, Sunday Mirror). Considering Elneny’s contract expires at the conclusion of the season, a £6 million transfer was proposed.
“There are concerns. Especially as Mo is a player that never complains about anything. Let’s see,” said Arteta.
Elneny worked under Emery at Arsenal, and he wasn’t exactly loved by him, so the rumours were strange at first. In 2021, the 30-year-old confessed that he was disappointed with the lack of playing time, and he departed Arsenal for a loan stint at Besiktas.
The Mirror implied that the former partners had reconciled their disagreements and were now working together again, but a transfer still remained unlikely. Matteo Guendouzi is the latest player to be linked to Aston Villa.
Still, if Emery was looking to trade for Elneny at the last minute, the injury has practically killed his aspirations.
