Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich looks set to move clubs this summer, and Arsenal have been named as a potential buyer.
Kimmich could be available for a cut-price fee as he enters the last year of his contract, and the 29-year-old may be targeted by some top clubs.
It was recently reported that Kimmich would only consider joining one of five top clubs: Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona this summer. This means that if Mikel Arteta is keen on a move for the Germany star, then a move to the Emirates would be a strong possibility this summer.
There are some potential concerns over Kimmich given his age, and his poor relationship with Thomas Tuchel at Bayern may serve as something of a warning sign that he does not have the right character for Arsenal. However, his previous relationship with Pep Guardiola in Munich may show that Arteta is exactly the manager he needs.
Joshua Kimmich enjoyed strong relationship with Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich
Arteta worked alongside Guardiola at Man City, and the pair share similar principles with regard to coaching and tactics. Speaking in 2018, Kimmich opened up on how Guardiola helped improve his game.
“I thought, ‘wow, this guy knows me and my style perfectly’, he told me I’d have an opportunity with him,” Kimmich stated of Guardiola.
“There are many things, but Pep showed me completely new spaces on the pitch. I improved a lot.
“He spends a lot of time on the first touch and knowing what to do even before receiving the ball, you should know where your team-mates are because he wants you to see the whole pitch.”
Kimmich benefitted from being coached by Guardiola, both because of his tactical acumen as well as his personality.
“For each opponent he has the perfect master plan, he has an incredible vision of football. Pep wants to say things immediately to make you improve.”
“Maybe it seems strange, but for me it was great, it showed how much he sees and cares.”
Kimmich’s comments on Guardiola’s methods directly parallels what his Germany teammate Kai Havertz has said about Arteta in recent months.
Kai Havertz praise for Mikel Arteta parallels with Kimmich relationship with Guardiola
Havertz initially struggled after joining Arsenal, but his game improved dramatically under Arteta, and he praised the Spaniard in April.
“He helped me from the first day I arrived and showed me a different spectrum of how to play football that I had never experienced before and how to make myself better on the pitch as a player,” he stated.
“I’m so happy he helped me with a lot of things and is someone who wants to improve the players and that’s what makes him special.
“I’ve never had a coach before who was so detailed and showed so many different things that maybe I didn’t even know about.”
Mikel Arteta could be perfect for Joshua Kimmich if he joins Arsenal
Kimmich endured something of a difficult season under Tuchel at Bayern, with the German giants finishing third in the Bundesliga, and this has played a part in his decision to move on this summer.
The midfielder, who also plays at right-back, would likely benefit from a change in environment and working under a detailed coach in Arteta again.
His comments about Guardiola show that he is someone who thrives in a detailed tactical setup, and he has the intelligence to play in several positions in a system like Arsenal’s.
It remains to be seen whether Arteta would be interested in him given his age, and links to other midfielders such as Amadou Onana, but if Kimmich was to join, this may indicate that some of the doubts about his character can be put at ease because of the Spaniard.