Arsenal entered this season with one ambition: to lastly win the Premier League.
With lower than half the season remaining, a lot can go flawed, however Mikel Arteta’s facet are effectively on their option to attaining their objectives.
On high of that, the Gunners are additionally high of the Champions League, reaching the fourth spherical of the FA Cup and the semi-finals of the League Cup.
It can take a concerted effort from the North Londoners to get this far, however some, comparable to Declan Rice, have performed a extra essential function than others, and if reviews are to be believed, Arsenal might be trying to signal one other model of the Englishman.
Arsenal goal new participant Rice
When Arsenal paid a club-record £105 million for Rice in the summertime of 2023, the expectations positioned on him have been immense.
Fortuitously, two-and-a-half years on, you would be hard-pressed to discover a fan or pundit who thinks the Englishman has greater than lived as much as his price ticket.
The midfield monster has seemingly been capable of do all of it, whether or not it is breaking down an assault, sparking a crew or being a pacesetter with out the armband on, making him certainly one of Arteta’s most essential gamers.
With that in thoughts, it is no shock that the membership is now trying to signal somebody like Rice.
At the very least that is in line with a latest report from switch professional Fabrizio Romano, who claimed that Arsenal are very excited about Marc Guehi.
In reality, in line with the Italian journalist, Arteta is “on the telephone” to the Crystal Palace star a couple of attainable transfer in the summertime when he turns into a free agent.
Nevertheless, Liverpool stay and Manchester Metropolis are concentrating on a transfer this month.
Romano stated: “With Marc Guech, I can say that the participant’s actual intention was all the time to depart on a free switch in the summertime. Liverpool made an actual push, and Arsenal, who’re large followers of Arteta, approached us. These two golf equipment are insistent. Bayern are additionally holding conferences to signal Guech. Manchester Metropolis have made an essential supply and we need to do our greatest to signal Guech within the January interval.”
All in all, this deal could be tough for Arsenal to drag off, however given Guehi’s immense potential, it is a deal they need to struggle for, particularly since he might be the subsequent Rice.
Why Guehi might be Arsenal’s subsequent Rice
Properly, then, the elephant within the room is that, no, Rice and Guehi don’t play in the identical place, although the previous West Ham United captain did so at first of his profession.
However the truth that the Palace star might be one other model of the previous Hammers ace for Arteta and co has little to do with the place they play.
For instance, one apparent similarity between these strikes is that it will be one other instance of the Gunners buying the perfect gamers from the identical London crew.
Not solely that, however it is going to be a brand new period during which Arteta has had an enormous affect on the careers of England’s present stars.
However the similarities transcend that, like Rice, the 6-foot large of the Eagles can also be a captain and has proven time and time once more that he’s an ideal chief.
For instance, whereas Eberechi Eze might have scored the objectives, it was the defensive monster that led South Londoners to FA Cup glory final yr.
Final however not least, the previous Cobham expertise can also be, within the phrases of Palace correspondent Bobby Munsey, a “monster” participant, and his underlying numbers show it.
Guehi’s scouting report | ||
|---|---|---|
statistics | round 90 | percentile |
Anticipated G+A with out penalty | 0.15 | High 3% |
Motion to create a purpose | 0.26 | High 3% |
Actions that create photographs | 1.57 | High 5% |
help | 0.09 | High 6% |
Aim + Help | 0.17 | High 7% |
key cross | 0.51 | High 8% |
via ball | 0.14 | High 8% |
penalty kick victory | 0.03 | High 9% |
contact (with a pen) | 1.57 | High 10% |
change | 0.69 | High 11% |
progressive path | 4.86 | High 12% |
All stats through FBref | ||
In response to FBref, he ranks within the high 3% for anticipated objectives and assists with out penalties and within the high 8% for goal-created actions, high 5% for shot-created actions, and high 8% for key passes amongst middle backs in Europe’s high 5 leagues, all with 90 factors.
In different phrases, the 25-year-old has apparent defensive qualities on the attention check, however he’s additionally a participant who can contribute in attacking conditions, very like the Gunners’ quantity 41.
Finally, Arsenal ought to do every thing of their energy to signal Guehi in the summertime, though it might be tough. That is as a result of he might have a Rice-like impression on Arteta’s crew.
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