Final week Arsenal‘s possibilities of profitable the Carabao Cup have been dented massive time by Alexander Isak.
Nobody ought to actually be shocked by that. The Swede is without doubt one of the most in-form gamers in Europe proper having scored ten goals in his last nine matches throughout all competitions.
The Gunners have regularly been linked with his services and he confirmed Mikel Arteta and Co precisely what they have been lacking by scoring on the Emirates. Arteta even admitted after the sport that it confirmed what can occur when you have “real quality” at the top end of the pitch.
So, the membership’s head coach is all too conscious that the ahead line wants boasting however you do get a way that they’ll hope to get by with what they have already got.
The difficulty is that their finest participant in Bukayo Saka goes to be out for a while with a hamstring damage and his deputy, Ethan Nwaneri, is now additionally injured. It is all reasonably typical.
Arsenal’s switch shortlist in 2025
As you’ll anticipate at the moment of the yr, there have been loads of rumours surrounding who may enter the Emirates Stadium this yr.
Essentially the most distinguished of names is Isak however with Newcastle reportedly demanding a fee of something close to £150m, that is not a simple deal.
Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao has been touted during the last two switch home windows.
Over the summer season he was solely transferring if dream membership Barcelona got here calling and this January, the Gunners might should make him considered one of their high earners to get him out of Spain. That stated, Arteta ‘wants to sign’ the player this month.
This January is already about taking market alternatives and two of them are set to move them by. Whether or not there was any curiosity, nevertheless, is unknown.
Certainly, red-hot Frankfurt striker Omar Marmoush is close to a move to Manchester City whereas Napoli’s Georgian famous person winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia looks as though he’s on his way to PSG.
Transfer Focus
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So, the place else may they flip to in 2025?
Arsenal’s finest Nico Williams various
Stories previous to Christmas steered that Arsenal had approached the representatives of AC Milan sensation Rafael Leao concerning a potential transfer.
A proper supply was not made however it was made clear that Leao is way extra prone to transfer in the summertime.
Boasting an almighty release clause of £145m, a transfer could possibly be made cheaper and extra attainable by his rocky relationship with new head coach Paulo Fonseca.
Arsenal supporters would possibly effectively be saddened to listen to one other transfer being performed down as a possible summer season alternative however the reality of the matter is that signing new gamers in January is troublesome.
The Gunners will lose out massive time within the again finish of this season however it’s clear they’re set to assault the summer season window exhausting.
By luring Leao away from the San Siro, he may effectively be a greater addition than each Isak and Williams.
Supporters will, after all, have a look at Isak’s numbers and marvel why he is not the perfect signing. You may actually make a case that he ought to be the primary precedence. He is Premier League-proven and may’t cease scoring.
That stated, Arsenal have proven they will problem and rating loads of objectives with Kai Havertz within the crew. In 2023/24, he scored eight goals and assisted seven in simply 18 outings. Even this time period he is bought eight in 21 which is not a foul tally in any respect.
After all, the Gunners want extra objectives however they maybe lack extra high quality in huge areas. Saka is the one constant participant in that regard with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard having contributed a combined ten goals and five assists. For context, that is seven fewer than Saka’s total tally.
On that proof, Arsenal want an explosive winger and in Leao – a “world-beater” within the phrases of information analyst Ben Mattinson, they’d have the proper profile.
Additional described as a a participant who’s like an “early Thierry Henry”, in the words of Milan coach Stefano Pioli, reducing inside from the left and beating defenders for enjoyable, his output is actually higher than Williams. This is how the 2 evaluate based mostly on their numbers throughout 2023/24 and 2024/25.
Leao vs Williams (2023/24 & 2024/25) |
||
---|---|---|
Stat (* = per 90 minutes) |
Leao |
Williams |
Matches |
50 |
48 |
Objectives |
12 |
6 |
Assists |
13 |
14 |
Shot-creating actions * |
4.93 |
5.01 |
Take-on success * |
50.7% |
41.6% |
Progressive carries |
5.57 |
5.81 |
Carries into remaining third |
3.39 |
2.96 |
Key passes |
2.20 |
1.98 |
Progressive passes |
4.13 |
2.83 |
Stats by way of FBRef. |
As we are able to see, the 2 are fairly related gamers. They love to hold the ball and take gamers on and so they each like to create.
That being stated, it is Leao who’s the extra common scorer, it is the Milan star who takes gamers on extra effectively and it is the Portuguese sensation who makes extra key passes and progressive passes. That every one suggests he could possibly be simply what the physician ordered in the case of bettering Arsenal’s attacking output on the left hand-side of the pitch.
Attacking zones within the Premier League |
|
---|---|
Most assaults on the correct |
Fewest assaults on the left |
Arsenal – 44% |
Arsenal – 32% |
Everton – 41% |
Ipswich – 34% |
Brentford – 39% |
Everton – 35% |
West Ham – 38% |
Brentford – 35% |
Southampton – 38% |
Chelsea – 35% |
Stats by way of WhoScored. |
Within the Premier League this time period, they’re the crew who assault down the left the fewest occasions however signing a participant like Leao would steadiness the crew out and supply extra high-percentage alternatives for the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Havertz to attain from.
Maybe he’s the reply as a substitute of Isak and Williams in the summertime.
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