Pros and cons of Jorginho transfer as Arsenal secure deal to sign Chelsea midfielder on deadline day

Arsenal are on the verge of landing Jorginho from Chelsea on transfer deadline day, with the Italian set to pen an 18-month contract ahead of tonight's 11pm deadline.

The move has proven a divisive one among both fanbases, with some Gunners fans lamenting their failure to land primary January transfer target Moises Caicedo from Brighton, while others were encouraged that Mikel Arteta was able to secure someone to bolster their midfield options.

Chelsea fans were also split, with some believing the Italian's near-flawless injury record marked him out as one the Blues' more important midfielders between now and end of the season. But with his contract up in the summer, this looks to be a deal that suits all parties.

The initial fee will be £10m with a further £2m in add-ons, according to reports.

But is the signing one that will strengthen Arsenal's hopes of a first title since 2003/04 or will they live to rue their failure to land Caicedo or another of the various midfielders linked to them in the final week of the window?

We asked two SPORTbible writers to put their necks on the line and argue their position for or against the deal.

FOR: Ryan Sidle - 'It's always best to strengthen from a good position'

Arsenal never would have imagined they would be in a title race at this point of the season, never mind actually leading it.

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Everyone knows it’s always best to strengthen from a good position and undoubtedly that’s what Mikel Arteta has done by getting in Jorginho.

It’s not that long ago that the Italian was being lauded as a potential Ballon d’Or winner, after winning the Champions League with Chelsea and the Euros with Italy in one summer.

The 31-year-old is a solid midfielder who will be able to give back up to either Thomas Partey or Granit Xhaka in the centre of the pitch, and he has experience of winning, which is no bad thing for a team that hasn’t won the league in nearly two decades.

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He might not be the most exciting transfer, or the one fans wanted after the links to Moises Caicedo, but there’s little doubting Jorginho’s ability to break up attacks and control games.

The former Napoli star is also unflappable when it comes to penalties, he may be behind Bukayo Saka in the pecking order from spot kicks but he’s not a bad man to have in reserve to take an all-important spot-kick.

AGAINST: Dan Marland - 'It feels like a step backward for Arsenal'

Mikel Arteta and Edu's transfer business over the last 18 months has been strong, bar one or two anomalies. This looks to be another rare miss. There's no doubting Jorginho is a quality player. His trophy cabinet, as listed above, speaks for itself.

READ MORE: Transfer deadline day LIVE: Latest news and rumours ahead of tonight’s 11pm deadline

It feels like a step backward for Arsenal in their current position, however. Chelsea are in the middle of a rebuild, with a potential deal for Benfica's Enzo Fernandez going to the wire on deadline day. If they're happy to part ways with an experienced player, given their rotten start to the campaign, it's a red flag.

The obvious elephant in the room are Arsenal's last two buys from Chelsea. Willian and David Luiz were no longer regulars at Stamford Bridge and stunk up the Emirates Stadium, to put it mildly. Jorginho could make it three from three.

Jorginho's profile is different to that of Moises Caicedo too, who Arsenal chased right up until deadline day. The Italy international isn't an upgrade on Granit Xhaka or Thomas Partey or a long-term successor to the duo, given his age and short-term contract. He'll likely collect a Premier League winner's medal at the end of the season, but it won't be a significant contribution.