Arsene Wenger has hailed Mohamed Elneny and believes he has taken big strides forward in recent months.
The 25-year-old's displays, both in midfield and also as part of a back three in pre-season, showcased his versatility, and his manager has been impressed with the progress he has made.
“He had a good pre-season, he absorbed a huge quantity of work and he takes advantage of it now, so it’s down to where he is needed," Wenger said.
“I will use him as a central defender in a three or in midfield. He is a fantastic team player and he is a credit to your country if you are Egyptian. He is a fantastic boy, we love him here.
“It took him some time to adapt to the intensity of the games and I think he was not aggressive enough for the Premier League [initially]. But now he has added that to his game.
“People forget that Elneny is 25 years old. He is not 30 - he’s still a young player and his best years are in front of him.”
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