Arsenal’s transfer train shows no sign of stopping anytime soon.
Mikel Arteta’s side have burst into life in the last few weeks, and following the signings of Martin Zubimendi and Kepa Arrizabalaga for a combined fee of £65m, they’ve announced the arrival of Christian Norgaard.
The Danish international has joined the Gunners from West London outfit Brentford for a fee of £15m including add-ons, and looks unlikely to be the only Scandinavian to move to the Emirates this summer, as talks for Viktor Gyokeres are said to be advanced.
However, while there is a lot to be excited about, some problems may also be brewing, with Arsenal closing in on a Premier League signing, which could be bad news for Ethan Nwaneri.
Arsenal target more Premier League stars
With the Gunners desperate to finally get over the line next season and win the Premier League, it makes sense for them to be targeting stars from the competition.
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One of the names most heavily touted for a move to the club is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who’s reportedly already been subject to a £45m bid from the Gunners.
It’s not hard to understand why Arteta and Co would be so keen to sign the England international, as he fired the Eagles to FA Cup glory last season and racked up a tally of 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 appearances.
However, while signing the former QPR star appears to be something of a fan-pleasing no-brainer, the same cannot necessarily be said about the deal for Noni Madueke.
Yes, according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, Arsenal are continuing in their quest to sign yet another Chelsea ace.
The reporter has revealed that a verbal agreement has been reached, and talks are proceeding according to plan between the two clubs. At the same time, the winger is awaiting an official agreement before undergoing his medical.
In terms of how much the 23-year-old is set to cost the Gunners, transfers expert Fabrizio Romano reported yesterday afternoon that they had made an official offer worth around £50m.
This is unlikely to be a popular deal among the Arsenal faithful, as while Madueke is a talented player, his arrival could be bad news for Nwaneri.
Why Madueke could be bad news for Nwaneri
While we can’t know exactly what is going on behind closed doors, much of the talk around Nwaneri over the last week or so has focused on the negotiations surrounding a new deal, which have supposedly not gone as well as Arsenal would have liked.
The reason given for this has more often than not been down to him asking for guarantees around game time, and this is the main reason Madueke’s arrival could be bad news for him.
For example, even though the Chelsea star is left-footed, he is first and foremost a right-winger and considering the offer the Gunners have already made for him, he’d likely become the first backup for Bukayo Saka.
Therefore, with just one signing, the Hale End prospect could see his minutes decimated, as while he can play in midfield, his most played position last season was right wing, and it wasn’t even close.
Finally, even though some fans may not be happy with the club signing yet another Chelsea player, there are elements to the Barnet-born winger’s game that could explain the Gunners’ interest and why he’d likely start ahead of the 18-year-old.
Progressive Carries
6.82
Top 1%
Carries into Penalty Area
4.12
Top 1%
GCA (Defensive Action)
0.04
Top 4%
Touches (Att Pen)
8.15
Top 4%
Non-Penalty xG
0.43
Top 6%
Shots Total
3.54
Top 7%
Progressive Carrying Distance
154.28
Top 7%
Shots on Target
1.33
Top 8%
For example, FBref ranked him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries and carries into the penalty area, while also ranking him in the top 7% for total progressive carrying distance, all per 90.
These statistics help to demonstrate that the “fearless” phenom, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is a carrying machine.
Add to that the fact he scored ten goals and provided five assists in 2305 minutes of action across the Premier League and Conference League proper last term, and it’s easy to see how he could be useful for Arteta and Co.
Ultimately, while large sections of the fan base might not be on board with this signing, Madueke would likely add more quality to the squad; however, his arrival could come at Nwaneri’s expense.
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