With Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal facet pushing for the Premier League title this yr, they’re counting on a few of their greatest stars to assist get them over the road, particularly contemplating a few of the crunch video games they’ve developing.
Bukayo Saka, though combating harm in the mean time, has been very good thus far in 2023/24 – contributing to 29 targets – and Declan Rice, who’s recent off the again of captaining England on his fiftieth cap, has lived as much as his giant price ticket of £105m together with add-ons.
It has been a much less clean trip for Brazilian winger Gabriel Martinelli, one in all Arsenal’s most necessary gamers.
Up to now, he has simply ten Premier League purpose involvements, though his kind has picked up of late, registering an help towards Newcastle after which a purpose and help away to Sheffield United.
With trophies to push for within the coming seasons beneath Arteta, there isn’t any shock that rumours have unfold of late linking the Gunners to a brand new possibility out extensive, with their obvious curiosity intensifying in current weeks.
Arsenal ‘like’ Premier League winger
The participant in query is Wolverhampton Wanderers and Portugal winger Pedro Neto.
The West Midlands outfit has made some glorious revenue within the final yr from gross sales, and Neto may very well be subsequent in line to earn them a giant payday. Certainly, in keeping with Fabrizio Romano, Arteta’s facet are fascinated about bringing Neto to The Emirates.
The reporter revealed in his Each day Briefing on Wednesday: “Pedro Neto is a participant Arsenal like and have checked out earlier than, however now we have to attend for Wolves to resolve preliminary price ticket to grasp what Arsenal, Tottenham and extra golf equipment will resolve to do.”
Gary O’Neil’s facet may cost Arsenal upwards of £60m for the Portuguese winger, in keeping with Nizaar Kinsella of The Commonplace. Neto may very well be one of some huge departures from Molineux, with Rayan Ait-Nouri one other participant of curiosity to Premier League golf equipment this summer season.
This may very well be seen as a dangerous transfer on the Gunners’ half, contemplating Neto’s irritating harm report. The 24-year-old has missed 109 video games for membership and nation since becoming a member of Wolves from Lazio in 2019.
Arsenal shall be one in all many sides difficult for Neto’s signature this summer season. The winger, who has 5 caps and one purpose at full worldwide stage for Portugal, can also be mentioned to be piquing the curiosity of North London rivals Tottenham, and fellow title challengers Liverpool, forward of the summer season switch window.
How Pedro Neto compares to Gabriel Martinelli
There’s little doubt to Arsenal followers and neutrals alike that Arteta must recruit out extensive, to provide himself higher choices and permit Bukayo Saka to relaxation.
The 22-year-old has performed 2275 minutes within the Premier League this season, in keeping with WhoScored. William Saliba (2520) and Declan Rice (2399) are the one Arsenal gamers to have performed extra.
Neto may actually be the reply to their depth points. The 24-year-old has lit up Molineux this season, with two targets and 9 assists to his title in simply 18 Premier League begins. Regardless of his lack of recreation time, he’s one help away from joint-topping the checklist within the prime flight this season.
Stylistically, Neto is similar to Martinelli, a lot so, that soccer analyst Ben Mattinson described him as ‘a right-sided Martinelli’ on X. He’s a fast, direct winger who’s an excellent ball-carrier and an enormous risk in transition, precisely like Martinelli.
Each Neto and Martinelli’s standout skillset is their ball-carrying, they usually have very related numbers per 90 minutes, in keeping with Fbref. Neto averages 5.30 progressive carries per 90 minutes, rating him within the prime 12% of positionally related wingers in Europe, with Martinelli averaging barely extra, 5.46 progressive carries per 90 minutes, which ranks him within the prime 11%.
The phrase ‘direct’ was talked about earlier, implying their willingness to run at defenders and drive into the penalty field. That is mirrored in each gamers’ numbers, as per Fbref.
Neto averages 2.34 carries into the penalty field per 90 minutes on common, putting him within the prime 17%. Martinelli is even higher, averaging 3.35 carries into the penalty field per 90 minutes, putting him within the prime 4%.
The place Neto excels over Martinelli is his creativity. Apart from his 9 Premier League assists this season, the 24-year-old averages 0.83 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes this season, putting him within the prime 3%. As compared, Martinelli averages 0.68 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, sufficient to put him within the prime 15%. Neto’s very good creativity will solely improve the specter of the Gunners’ assault.
There’s little doubt that Neto would enhance Arsenal. He would provide one thing totally different to Saka on the suitable wing and would have the ability to come into video games the place Arsenal might have house in behind and be an enormous risk. For the payment of £60m he may value, it will be a wise transfer for Arsenal, though dangerous given his harm report.
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