Arsenal wish to signal £70m star who’s “England’s finest winger”

Arsenal might effectively have conceded the Premier League this season however 2024/25 has not been a whole write off so far as Mikel Arteta is worried.

It has been a coming-of-age story for the Gunners in Europe, who, after being dumped out by Bayern Munich a 12 months in the past, are within the semi-finals of the Champions League the place they are going to face PSG.

Whether or not or not Arsenal win the continent’s premier competitors, their inventory within the international recreation has risen this 12 months after defeating Actual Madrid.

Lots shall be enthused by the concept of taking part in for a membership on the rise and many shall be enthused by taking part in alongside a sure Bukayo Saka, Madrid’s tormentor.

Saka’s Arsenal return in numbers

When Saka went down with a hamstring harm towards Crystal Palace in December, stress ranges across the Emirates Stadium elevated considerably.

As much as that time, this was a participant arguably having the most effective season of his profession so far, having scored 9 objectives and registered 14 assists throughout all competitions.

Since his harm, the Gunners appeared a shadow of the workforce everyone knows they are often. That, after all, was not helped by additional accidents to Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.

Nonetheless, Saka’s absence was felt the toughest, even when Ethan Nwaneri got here in and made a big effect.

Properly, the Englishman is now again and regardless of solely taking part in 183 minutes throughout 5 league outings, he is made a hell of a return.

The huge ahead scored inside minutes of his comeback towards Fulham after which was in dazzling type throughout each legs towards Madrid.

Saka repeatedly had the beating of David Alaba within the 3-0 win on the Emirates after which, regardless of his missed penalty kick on the Bernabeu, recovered to attain Arsenal’s first objective on the evening, latching onto Mikel Merino’s deft move to beat Thibaut Courtois.

That mentioned, regardless of Martinelli’s return to type, notching towards Madrid and Ipswich, they should signal a left winger.

Arsenal’s hopes of signing a brand new winger this summer time

Quite a lot of new forwards have been linked with the membership in current weeks. Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao is a reputation who refuses to go away whereas talks have been reportedly held with Kingsley Coman’s camp to establish whether or not a summer time transfer could be doable.

Then there’s Barcelona’s Raphinha. Hailed as “the most effective participant on the planet” this season by one data-led analyst, Arsenal have reportedly been informed they might signal him for about £80m this summer time if the participant needs to depart.

However, contemplating his standing as a Ballon d’Or contender, it might be a shock to see him exit Camp Nou. So, enter Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens.

In keeping with journalist Graeme Bailey, Chelsea have put the English winger on the high of their switch wishlist this summer time, however they are going to face competitors, mainly from Arsenal.

It is reported that there was curiosity from the Gunners in a participant who might price round £70m this summer time, cheaper than the aforementioned worth for Raphinha.

How Jamie Gittens compares to Bukayo Saka

Whereas Saka has been wreaking havoc from the right-hand facet in an Arsenal shirt over an prolonged time frame, the left facet of the ahead line has been a little bit of an issue.

Everyone knows the qualities Martinelli can convey to this Arsenal workforce on his day, however during the last two years he is been an inconsistent determine, struggling to stay as much as that 15-goal marketing campaign of 2022/23.

In 2023/24, he discovered the web on simply eight events and this time round, he is scored 9 objectives. As for Leandro Trossard, whereas he did bag 17 final season, he is solely scored ten occasions in 50 appearances.

So, whether or not it’s Williams, Raphinha or Gittens, Arteta wants one other huge participant. Gittens may very well be his man.

Celebrated as “England’s subsequent celebrity” by the German media and considered “England’s finest winger in 2024/25” by Sky Sports activities’ Dougie Critchley, it is evident to see why he is been garnering appreciable hype, notably this time period.

He is “electrical” within the phrases of information analyst Ben Mattinson, scoring 12 objectives and supplying 5 assists throughout all competitions he is performed in.

Like Saka, he is a goalscorer, however the main distinction between the 2 is that Gittens is but to actually show himself as a inventive outlet. Nonetheless, in loads of different areas, numerous parallels will be drawn.

When assessing the numbers, it is evident right here that Saka may be very a lot the first creator out of the 2. That being mentioned, they’re each ‘carry-first’ attackers.

They like to get on the ball and that is confirmed by the truth that each of them common an analogous variety of carries per 90 minutes. It is simply that Gittens, working in a extra direct Dortmund facet, averages extra progressive carries, though not by very a lot.

A carry is taken into account progressive if the ball is moved in the direction of the opponent’s objective at the very least 10 yards from its start line or is carried into the penalty space.

Because the aforementioned Mattinson eludes to, he is “unpredictable in 1v1s”, possessing the “pretty potential” to both trend a cross or shot on each toes.

That is very very like Saka, who in the previous few years has change into much more adept on his proper. Not solely does he lower inside however he can even beat you on the skin. That is very a lot what Gittens is about.

So, whereas the 20-year-old nonetheless has numerous creating to do, it is not each day you may signal an English expertise as thrilling as this. He’d be a superb foil to Saka on the left facet of Arsenal’s three-prong assault.