Premier League 
/ Michael Lintorn / 11 July 2011 / Leave a Comment 
Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Gervinho has agreed to join Arsenal
"An early World Cup exit for his nation contributed to him staying at Lille last summer and what followed was easily his most successful campaign since arriving in Europe in 2004."
Gervinho won more trophies last season than several of his new team-mates have earned in their careers, but that's not the reason why he should prove a shrewd addition, says Michael Lintorn.
Sceptical Arsenal supporters and gleeful critics may look at Arsene Wenger's decision to once again shop in Ligue 1 and view the arrival of Gervinho as uninspiring, but the Ivorian forward has every chance of proving a big hit for the silverware-hungry north Londoners.
For starters, unlikely recent additions who the jury either remains out on or has already returned a negative verdict on like Laurent Koscielny and Marouane Chamakh, Gervinho has both appeared and impressed at a World Cup.
Indeed, the 24-year-old's spell in South Africa could have lasted longer had boss Sven-Goran Eriksson not misguidedly dropped him for Ivory Coast's toughest match against Brazil despite him being the standout performer in the goalless draw against Portugal that preceded it.
That questionable call by the Leicester boss arguably worked out well for Gervinho though as an early exit for his nation contributed to him staying at Lille last summer and what followed was easily his most successful campaign since arriving in Europe in 2004.
After two years battling relegation in the Belgian Jupiler League with Beveren, who brought him over from Toumodi in his homeland, two seasons mid-table in France with Le Mans and a decent fourth-place finish in his first term at Lille, the braid-wearer became a double winner in 2010-11.
His impact on Lille's remarkable success on a shoestring, with a team that was assembled for around just £13 million, might not have received as much publicity as Eden Hazard and top scorer Moussa Sow's, however he played a major part, striking 18 times and weighing in with ten assists too.
The goals were no shock, as the wide man netted 13 times in his first campaign at the Stade Lille-Metropole, but the assist rate was a huge increase on four the year before and an indication that his game continues to grow. Gunners fans will be similarly encouraged by the fact that his goal tally has risen every season in France.
Gervinho was able to force a move to Arsenal because he only had a year to run on his contract. The switch is something of a risk though given that he regularly states his desire to play in the Champions League, yet has left a guaranteed spot in the group stage for qualifying action at the Emirates.
He clearly feels that the slight gamble is justified and is [10.0] to be vindicated with a second successive triumph, while it is [23.0] that his first foray into the Champions League is a victorious one.
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