Arteta wants Arsenal to sign £51m Madrid star

Whereas it might nonetheless finish in an unbelievable crescendo of Champions League glory, it would not be amiss to explain this season as one thing of a disappointment for Arsenal.

Mikel Arteta’s facet had been horrible in each the FA Cup and League Cup, and at the moment are vulnerable to shedding their grasp on second place within the Premier League.

Furthermore, whereas the workforce has underwhelmed as a collective, there have been a number of gamers who’ve merely not reached the requirements set within the final couple of years, equivalent to Martin Odegaard.

So, with this in thoughts, it isn’t all that stunning to learn latest studies linking the membership to somebody who could possibly be an improve on the Gunners captain.

Arsenal switch information

Earlier than we get to the participant in query, it is value among the different midfield stars linked with Arsenal in latest months, equivalent to Frenkie de Jong and Kevin De Bruyne.

The previous has been having fun with a stellar marketing campaign with Barcelona and stays on observe for a historic treble-winning season with the Catalan membership, so whereas he’d be an distinctive addition to the membership, we think about he’d value a king’s ransom, even with studies popping out about his contract talks stalling.

In distinction, we now know Kevin de Bruyne will likely be leaving Manchester Metropolis in the summertime, so if Arteta can work his magic, he may simply have the ability to persuade the mercurial Belgian to hitch his former title rivals, and with 14 purpose involvements in 36 video games this season, he’d nonetheless be a helpful participant to have within the squad.

Nonetheless, understanding the North Londoners may need to make certain they hold the workforce younger and hungry, which might clarify the latest hyperlinks to Brahim Diaz.

In keeping with a latest report from Spain, Arsenal have recognized the Moroccan worldwide as a ‘prime precedence’ forward of the summer time and that Arteta actually needs the membership to signal the participant he labored with at Manchester Metropolis.

The story claims that Actual Madrid are prepared to let the participant depart for a convincing supply, whereas tales from earlier this 12 months counsel that they’d be after a charge within the area of €60m, which is about £51m.

It might be a expensive deal to recover from the road, however one value pursuing, as he could possibly be an ideal improve on Odegaard.

How Diaz compares to Odegaard

So, if Arsenal get their man this summer time, and he is available in to play extra of a midfield function, he’d be in direct competitors with Odegaard for that inventive quantity ten function.

With that mentioned, who comes out on prime after we examine them?

From a pure output perspective, it’s the “unbelievable” Actual ace, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, who emerges victorious, however solely after we take a look at the minutes-to-goal involvement ratios.

For instance, in 49 appearances, totalling 2058 minutes, the Moroccan worldwide has scored six targets and supplied seven assists, which comes out to a mean of a purpose involvement each 3.76 video games, or way more consequently, each 158.half-hour.

In distinction, the Norwegian maestro has scored 5 targets and supplied 11 assists in 41 appearances, totalling 3162 minutes, which comes out to a mean of a purpose involvement each 2.56 video games, however extra importantly, each 197.62 minutes.

What about after we have a look beneath the hood and at their underlying numbers, then? Is it one other minor victory for the Champions League winner?

Effectively, it is truly a comparatively snug one for the 25-year-old, as he comes out forward in most related metrics, together with however not restricted to anticipated and precise non-penalty targets plus assists, photographs and photographs on track, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions, profitable take-ons and extra, all per 90.

Finally, whereas Odegaard stays a gifted participant, Diaz has outperformed him in nearly each metric this season, and if Arsenal can signal him in the summertime, they need to.