It has been a tricky season for Arsenal to this point this yr.
As an alternative of battling it atop the Premier League desk with Manchester Metropolis, Mikel Arteta’s facet at the moment discover themselves down in third place, six factors off Liverpool, who’ve a sport in hand.
Nevertheless, whereas the Gunners have definitely been much less spectacular than in earlier campaigns, they’ve additionally suffered their justifiable share of accidents and needed to do with out Martin Odegaard for fairly a while.
The Norwegian’s impression on the group can’t be understated, so current stories linking the membership with somebody who might be an improve on him ought to excite followers, particularly because the participant in query has beforehand received comparisons to the legendary Dennis Bergkamp.
Arsenal switch information
In accordance with a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are considered one of a number of sides serious about Atalanta star Charles De Ketelaere.
Alongside the Gunners, the report claims that Liverpool, West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Manchester Metropolis and Aston Villa are additionally all eager on the Belgian playmaker.
Whereas this stage of curiosity is much from superb for Arteta and Co, the excellent news is that it could not price them an excessive amount of to get their man, with the story revealing that he is valued at round £40m.
It may nonetheless be an advanced switch to recover from the road, however given De Ketelaere’s sensational capacity, it is one value pursuing, particularly as he is been in comparison with Bergkamp and will even be an improve on Odegaard.
De Ketelaere’s comparisons to Bergkamp & Odegaard
Okay, earlier than we get onto the comparisons between De Ketelaere and Odegaard, let’s look at those to Bergkamp.
Effectively, there are a couple of methods during which the Belgian mirrors the enduring Dutchman, and the primary is that he, too, struggled on the San Siro, producing a single assist in 40 games for AC Milan.
Compared, the previous Arsenal ace left Inter with a greater however nonetheless middling haul of 34 goal involvements in 72 games.
Furthermore, whereas the non-Flying Dutchman went on to excel as soon as he left Inter, the younger Belgian has executed the identical, solely with one other group in Italy.
One other similarity between the pair is the place they play, as, like the previous Invincible, the Atalanta gem can play in a number of positions however clearly favours forward areas and attacking midfield.
Moreover, it isn’t simply us making this declare both, as solely a few years in the past, Italian journalist Paolo Condominium told Sky Sports Italia that “he jogs my memory of one other nice: Dennis Bergkamp.”
With that mentioned, the ultimate and extremely vital motive he has shades of Bergkamp about him is identical motive he may even be an improve on Odegaard: his output.
For instance, in simply 23 appearances this season, chunk of which have are available in attacking midfield, the “magical” phenom, as dubbed by Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, has scored eight goals and provided nine assists, equating to a sensational common of a aim involvement each 1.35 video games for the Bergamo outfit.
In distinction, the Gunners’ mercurial captain has solely scored once and provided five assists in 13 appearances this season, which involves a nonetheless spectacular however nonetheless worse common of a aim involvement each 2.6 video games.
|
De Ketelaere vs Odegaard |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Participant |
||
|
Appearances |
23 |
13 |
|
Minutes |
1469′ |
934′ |
|
Objectives |
8 |
1 |
|
Assists |
9 |
5 |
|
Aim Involvements per Match |
0.73 |
0.46 |
|
Minutes per Aim Involvement |
86.41′ |
186.8′ |
|
All Stats by way of Transfermarkt |
||
Now, the previous Actual Madrid gem’s season has clearly been hampered by accidents, and he provides extra to the North Londoners than simply pure output. Even so, the distinction is stark.
In the end, whereas he doubtless will not go on to be as legendary as Bergkamp, there are plain shades of the Dutchman in De Ketelaere’s sport, and he definitely appears adequate to problem the Gunners’ captain.
Subsequently, Arsenal must be doing all they’ll to safe the Belgian’s signature as quickly as doable earlier than somebody beats them to it.
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