Arsenal will seal the deal for Brentford captain Christian Norgaard, the Danish international, and also have the transfer talks moving on to latter stages.
Brentford director of football Phil Giles also maintained that discussions with Arsenal are proceeding as planned, following last week’s BBC Sport exclusive that the two clubs had agreed the terms in principle on a transfer transaction worth up to rumored £15m with performance-based bonuses.
Aiding press reports, Giles welcomed Norgaard to his reception for the team and agreed talks with Arsenal. “We have been in talks with Arsenal maybe for a week or 10 days. It is not definite yet but is moving in that direction,” he clarified.
If that is all he is worth, good riddance — he has been worth it. He has been a cracking captain of us,” Giles came to the defense of the club for the way they have handled the on-field and off-field captaincy of the 30-year-old midfielder.
Norgaard has been the backbone of Brentford during times of hardship since promotion to the Premier League, bringing stability in the middle with his consistent performances. A natural centre-back but a midfielder by choice, defensive intelligence to accompany his tactical sense and leadership skills, he is the type of player Arsenal would wish to sign in to inject experience and solidity into midfield in a dramatic domestic and European campaign.
The move to the Emirates Stadium would see Norgaard competing with other players like Declan Rice, Jorginho, and Thomas Partey for a place in Arteta’s starting XI. He would offer another level of solidity and calmness to Arsenal’s central midfield, especially on the biggest matches.
Brentford would be prepared to shell out the transfer fee, however, as they say goodbye to star skipper. The Bees have been in widespread praise for their astute recruitment process, and supporters will be eager to discover whether or not they can bounce back from Norgaard’s absence of leadership and presence.
With facts at hand now, all signs point towards Christian Norgaard becoming an Arsenal player soon — a move in line with Arteta’s ongoing quest to find that balance in a team that has youth, quality, and experience.
