Arsenal are having one other spectacular season underneath Mikel Arteta. The Gunners are nonetheless combating for main honours within the Premier League, which they at present prime, and the Champions League, the place they face Bayern Munich within the quarter-finals.
After disappointment final season, the place Arteta’s aspect didn’t win a serious trophy regardless of main the league for a lot of the season, they wanted to get the signings spot on in the summertime.
Up to now, the cash they spent on Declan Rice, which was £105m together with add-ons, Kai Havertz for £65m and David Raya on mortgage have been value it. Though Jurrien Timber has but to play a distinguished half resulting from damage, many imagine the £38m charge Arsenal paid is nice worth.
If there’s one space of their squad Arsenal might look to strengthen subsequent, it’s out huge. The Gunners are arguably fairly gentle there, which has been a trigger for concern for Arsenal followers. Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard are their first-choice wingers, Emile Smith Rowe and Reiss Nelson are the opposite choices and Gabriel Jesus has crammed in there too.
With Arsenal seemingly more likely to goal a winger in the summertime of 2024, there’s one thrilling expertise that the Gunners have been linked with, specifically, who might are available and problem Saka and Martinelli for the beginning spots.
Arsenal seeking to strengthen their assault
The identify on everybody’s lips as to who might add to Arsenal’s depth out huge is Atheltic Membership and Spain winger Nico Williams.
The 21-year-old, who’s the youthful brother of Ghana worldwide Inaki Williams, is having fun with a stellar season, and has been one of the in-form wingers on this planet this season and may very well be obtainable for simply £47m, the worth of the participant’s launch clause.
It’s not simply Arsenal who’re thinking about Williams subsequent summer season. Athletic Membership can even must fend off curiosity from two different Premier League sides, Chelsea and Liverpool, to be particular in the event that they wish to maintain their star man at San Mamés past this season.
In an interview with Caught Offside, Arsenal journalist Charles Watts defined the Gunners’ curiosity in signing Williams, explaining that he’s “understood to be excessive up on their record of potential targets”.
How Nico Williams compares to Bukayo Saka
Williams can actually be thought-about a throwback winger. He likes to tackle a defender in one-on-one conditions, and is extremely unpredictable on the ball, possessing the flexibility to go on the within or outdoors of a defender.
Capable of play on the left or proper wing, he’s a charming ahead and based on soccer analyst Ben Mattinson, might uproot Saka or Martinelli from the aspect. Mattinson defined that Williams is “adequate to displace” Arsenal’s widemen and that he “may very well be a severe challenger & increase their recreation”.
By way of profile, Williams is sort of dissimilar to Saka. The Spaniard is an explosive ball service, and while Saka is just not dangerous on this sense, the Bilbao star carries the ball at a far larger velocity and might speed up and decelerate in a approach few gamers on this planet can. He’s two-footed and capable of go both approach, making him so unpredictable.
The numbers additionally stack up in Williams’ favour to recommend he’s a greater dribbler than Arsenal’s quantity seven. The Spain worldwide ranks within the prime 5% of positionally comparable gamers in Europe for progressive carries per 90 minutes, averaging 6.11 per 90 minutes, in comparison with Saka’s 5.10 per 90 minutes based on Fbref.
To additional again that up, the Athletic Membership winger averages 3.36 carries into the ultimate third per 90 minutes and a couple of.60 carries into the penalty field per 90. This locations him within the prime 15% and 12% respectively.
As compared, Arsenal’s Saka averages 2.41 carries into the ultimate third per 90 minutes and a couple of.16 carries into the penalty field per 90 minutes, rating him within the prime 43% and prime 20% respectively, a transparent drop-off.
The place the England winger excels in comparison with Arsenal’s switch goal is with final-third creativity. In accordance with Fbref, Williams averages simply 1.68 passes into the penalty space per 90 minutes, the 63rd percentile, whereas Saka averages 2.04 passes into the penalty space per 90 minutes, the 78th percentile.
The Spain worldwide additionally performs fewer key passes than the Arsenal man. The winger averages 1.83 key passes per 90 minutes, in comparison with Saka’s 2.46 key passes per 90 minutes. This locations Williams within the 63rd percentile, whereas Saka ranks within the prime 13%.
It’s value taking into account that Arsenal have much more possession than Athletic Membership, which means there’s extra probability for Williams to dribble and carry the ball than there’s for Saka, as a result of, naturally, they could face increased traces, whereas Arsenal come up towards a lot of groups who sit deep and defend in a low block.
To place that into statistical context as per Sofascore, Arsenal common 61.9% possession per match, the third most within the Premier League. As compared, Athletic Membership common simply 49.5% possession per recreation, with 9 different La Liga sides forward of them.
While some folks imagine Saka’s future might lie as extra of an inside, Williams is undoubtedly a winger, and he might properly turn into Arsenal’s first alternative if Arteta does transfer Saka right into a extra central function someday.
Regardless, at simply 21-years-old, with an extremely distinctive profile and an excellent switch worth, Williams presents a extremely good choice for the Gunners subsequent summer season. Whether or not or not they determine to carry him in, and might beat rivals to his signature stays to be seen, however he’s actually a good selection for Arsenal.