Arsenal are sitting fairly atop the Premier League ladder, however Mikel Arteta and his males have been right here earlier than, and he’ll know that the January switch window may show advantageous for the membership of their pursuit of the title.
Particularly when Manchester Metropolis are honing in on Bournemouth ahead Antoine Semenyo, who has scored 9 objectives and provided three assists within the league this time period.
Semenyo, an Arsenal fan, has been on Andrea Berta’s radar, however the Gunners have now superior their curiosity to match Metropolis’s personal. Might that be as a result of one other star is within the sights?
Arsenal must signal a ahead
That is an elite outfit, however Arsenal’s interminable goalscoring issues have continued into the present marketing campaign, albeit to a lesser diploma.
Arteta wants so as to add firepower, and he should concede that Viktor Gyokeres has not been as much as scratch since finishing a £64m transfer to the Emirates from Sporting Lisbon, the place he scored 97 objectives from 102 matches.
However maybe signing one other big-money centre-forward would not be essentially the most prudent route.
In line with Spanish sources this month, Arsenal have subscribed to that notion, having made a gap provide for Actual Madrid ahead Rodrygo, who’s discontented on the Santiago Bernabeu.
The 24-year-old is overshadowed in Xabi Alonso’s frontline, however he’s a world-class ahead and would discover the right dwelling to additional develop at Arsenal.
Los Blancos would take into account his sale, however not for something lower than £75m. Arsenal’s provide totalled €60m (£51m).
How Rodrygo would improve Arsenal’s assault
Rodrygo didn’t have the perfect 2025, however he is nonetheless an elite and multi-faceted ahead who has scored 70 objectives and provided 55 assists for Actual Madrid, in all probability the most important soccer membership on this planet.
Solely final yr did teammate Jude Bellingham hail him as “in all probability essentially the most gifted and most gifted participant within the squad“, with an underlying physicality to enrich his extra flashy facet.
Certainly, throughout the previous 12 months, the Brazil worldwide has been “probably the greatest wingers on this planet” within the phrases of analyst by Spencer Mossman, rating among the many high 1% of positional friends for go completion, the highest 4% for progressive carries and the highest 10% for shot-creating actions per 90, as per FBref.
Shot-creating actions are items of play that result in a shot. These embrace moments corresponding to a go, take-on or foul being drawn.
That is an elite ahead, one who may elevate Arteta’s burgeoning undertaking. His pedigree on the grandest phases and talent to boost his teammates’ video games would possibly even see him draw Gyokeres out of his cave.
Gyokeres, 27, has scored 5 Premier League objectives from 18 matches this season, 15 begins. However he is not been adequate, at odds with the slickness of Arteta’s in any other case fluent frontline.
You do not want your centre-forward to be a ballerina, however Gyokeres is struggling to latch onto Arsenal’s attacking efforts, and is having fun with solely a minimal contribution every sport.
When taking a look at his metrics in comparison with final season, his deterioration solely turns into clearer.
|
Viktor Gyokeres – Liga Portugal vs Premier League |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Stats (* per sport) |
24/25 |
25/26 |
|
Matches (begins) |
33 (31) |
18 (15) |
|
Objectives |
39 |
5 |
|
Assists |
7 |
0 |
|
Touches |
40.0 |
19.1 |
|
Pictures (on track)* |
4.2 (2.4) |
1.7 (0.6) |
|
Large possibilities missed |
23 |
7 |
|
Correct passes* |
15.0 (73%) |
5.1 (61%) |
|
Possibilities created* |
1.9 |
0.6 |
|
Succ. dribbles* |
1.8 (48%) |
0.3 (21%) |
|
Tackles* |
0.3 |
0.2 |
|
Duels received* |
5.5 (50%) |
2.4 (34%) |
|
Information through Sofascore |
||
As you’ll be able to see, since returning to English shores in July, the hulking ahead has struggled.
It is not all his fault, although. Gabriel Martinelli, for instance, hasn’t been at his finest this season and has gone ten Premier League matches with no purpose involvement. Arsenal content material creator James commented after the latest win at Bournemouth that the Brazilian winger was too one-dimensional“.
Rodrygo, his compatriot, would definitely show an improve, and with such aptitude, versatility and innate artistic qualities – he is been described as a “particular striker” who “can play in all positions” by former boss Carlo Ancelotti – it could be the right signing to maintain Man Metropolis at bay and at last safe silverware and the Premier League title after twenty years of looking out.
Saved by Rice: Arsenal should bin dud who misplaced the ball each 3.5 touches
Arsenal battled their method to victory in opposition to Bournemouth within the Premier League.
