Whether or not or not you agree on the matter that Arsenal have regressed this season, there’s one plain assertion that nobody can argue with.
The Gunners want extra firepower to take them to the subsequent stage within the 2025/26 marketing campaign.
Simply over a yr in the past when Mikel Arteta’s males have been dumped out of the Champions League by Bayern Munich, there was an admission that Arsenal have been missing a bit within the ahead division. That was even with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.
A yr later, they travelled to Paris, looking for to achieve their first Champions League ultimate since 2006. Unsurprisingly, they exited the competitors. Arteta and skipper Martin Odegaard spoke after the sport about how the tie was gained in each containers. PSG have been higher in these areas, and there was as soon as once more an admission they did not have a lot in assault.
“Often within the field there are strikers”, Arteta remarked, noting how Arsenal have been compelled to play with Mikel Merino up prime as a substitute of the injury-stricken Jesus and Havertz.
A yr on from their earlier exit from the competitors, someway their ahead line seemed even worse. If they’re to progress subsequent time period, then signing extra forwards is of utmost significance.
How Arsenal might strengthen their ahead line
Title an attacker, and it is possible they have been linked with Arsenal in latest weeks and months.
After all, the primary precedence for Arsenal is Newcastle’s Alexander Isak, with the BBC’s Sami Mokbel revealing only some days in the past that he’s ‘the dream goal’. But, as we all know, any transfer is sophisticated by the Magpies’ astronomical asking value.
As such, Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko are two options. In brief, Arsenal don’t have any excuse given the variety of choices on the market in the marketplace this summer time.
It is not simply in that centre-forward Berth the place Arteta wants recruits. Regardless of discuss of an prolonged contract for Leandro Trossard in latest days, they want enchancment on the left wing and as soon as extra, there are a plethora of choices.
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Arsenal are reportedly the favourites to signal Borussia Dortmund’s English winger Jamie Gittens whereas their dream goal on this place, in accordance with the Every day Mail, is Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.
However there is a spicy different within the type of AC Milan’s Rafael Leao, who the Mail reported on Saturday is on the membership’s shortlist.
A separate report from Italy has additionally spoken of Arsenal’s curiosity within the Portuguese ahead.
They declare that whereas Chelsea are additionally within the operating and have been involved with the Serie A aspect, Arsenal have entered the race now too, ‘taking data’ on the participant as they put together a transfer.
It is reported that new sporting director Andrea Berta has personally positioned him on the membership’s shortlist as one among his first items of enterprise.
With Arsenal needing to recruit a number of big-name gamers this summer time, one sticking level might be Leao’s €100m (£85m) valuation.
How Rafael Leao would enhance Arsenal
Arsenal want a winger they usually want one ASAP. Take one have a look at the PSG tie and the distinction in wing play, most notably on the other aspect to Bukayo Saka was stark.
Whereas Arteta had an unsure Gabriel Martinelli there, spurning probabilities and failing to get the higher of Achraf Hakimi, the Parisiens had Georgian celebrity Kvicha Kvaratskhelia. A demonic presence in assault, his relentless pace, shut management, and dribbling capability make him an absolute nightmare for any defender. He is unpredictable and boasts the expertise to go on both aspect.
It is one thing that, Saka apart, Arsenal do not have a lot of: unpredictability.
In Leao, they’d be discovering that. The scorer of 12 targets and the assister of 13 thus far this season, within the phrases of knowledge analyst Ben Mattinson, the left winger is “completely excellent for game-breaking moments” and he is additionally “a winger who brings worry to defences.” In that sense, he is loads just like the aforementioned Kvaratskhelia.
However, there’s one other mighty positive comparability we wish to contact on right here. Again in 2022, Milan coach Stefano Pioli stated: “Leao jogs my memory numerous the early Thierry Henry, who began large then got here inside.”
Nicely, so far as Arsenal followers are involved, it certainly would not get a lot better than that? Henry left the Gunners behind as their club-record scorer they usually’ve been looking, dreaming of discovering somebody with comparable traits.
Like Henry, Leao has an unbelievable burst of tempo and boasts a similiar languid taking part in fashion to Henry that gave them the chance to make use of their lengthy strides to glide previous gamers. Curiously, they each stand at 6 foot 2, solely emphasising the comparability additional.
They have that very same trademark fashion as properly. Milan’s star winger likes to race down the left earlier than slicing inside onto his favoured proper foot. Whereas Martinelli has tried to be taught that attribute, he nonetheless leaves a lot to be desired, because the numbers point out.
Leao vs Martinelli in 2024/25 – league solely | ||
|---|---|---|
Stat (per 90 minutes) | Leao | Martinelli |
Objectives | 0.31 | 0.31 |
Assists | 0.31 | 0.18 |
Key passes | 2.27 | 1.63 |
Progressive passes | 3.61 | 2.07 |
Shot-creating actions | 4.43 | 2.91 |
Profitable take-ons | 2.31 | 1.41 |
Progressive carries | 4.82 | 4.93 |
Carries into ultimate third | 2.78 | 1.32 |
Aerial duels gained | 1.02 | 0.66 |
Stats through Fbref. | ||
Trying on the metric above it is maybe unsurprising to go away that Leao, aged 25, is 2 years older than Martinelli, however this distinction in high quality is why Arsenal must signal a brand new winger.
A carry is taken into account progressive if the ball is moved in the direction of the opponent’s aim at the least 10 yards from its place to begin or is carried into the penalty space.
The Portugal worldwide might boast the identical goalscoring capability however he is much more artistic and, as we will see from the carrying numbers, he is much more prone to not solely get on the defence, however he is extra possible to achieve doing so. As Mattinson says, he is a really scary proposition.
Arsenal’s largest precedence this summer time should be signing a striker however in Leao, they’d have the ability to get their arms on among the finest left wingers in Europe.
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