It is fair to say that Arsenal supporters were not left overly impressed by the club's transfer dealings in January, with the signing of experienced midfielder, Jorginho, in particular, having gone down like something of a lead balloon.
After weeks of speculation regarding a potential move for Brighton and Hove Albion gem, Moises Caicedo, to then see the Gunners settle for a last-gasp, surprise move for the 31-year-old appeared to some like a mere panic buy, with that arrival sparking little enthusiasm among the Emirates faithful.
Just a few months on, however, that £12m capture from Chelsea now appears to be something of a masterstroke, with the 5 foot 10 maestro having already proven a "superb" addition for Mikel Arteta and co, according to former Highbury hero, Kevin Campbell (talkSPORT, 20/02/2023/, 08:11).
In truth, on the evidence of Jorginho's standout displays since his arrival from Stamford Bridge, it does appear as if the title hopefuls truly did hit the jackpot with the signing of the one-time Napoli ace.
How much is Jorginho worth now?
As pundit Rio Ferdinand predicted, the 47-cap ace has also proven a "shrewd" signing for the north London outfit, notably playing a key role in the vital, comeback win away to Aston Villa last month, after seeing his long-range effort deflect in off the sprawling Emi Martinez.
Speaking after that potentially decisive moment in the title race – which came after a run of three league games without a win – Arteta hailed his new addition as "tremendous" while also suggesting that the Brazil-born gem makes those around him "look better".
The "relentless" machine – as previously lauded by former Blues boss Thomas Tuchel – has added further depth and quality to a midfield department that has been stretched at times, with Thomas Partey, in particular, having been hampered by injury during his spell in England.
While Jorginho may not possess the "physicality" of the Ghanaian international, as per talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy, he is still a "world-class" asset in his own right – according to ex-Liverpool man Jose Enrique – with Arsenal likely to be delighted with themselves at pulling off such an astute deal.
As Murphy noted at the time of the signing, the move did look like a "really clever piece of business" due to the relative bargain nature of the £12m fee, with that emphasised by the fact that the former Hellas Verona man is currently said to be worth as much as £30m, according to CIES Football Observatory.
That should indicate that Arteta truly did strike gold by pushing to sign the playmaker in the winter window, with that acquisition potentially set to prove vital in the club's title charge in the remainder of the campaign.