Arsenal are yet to make a big splash in the transfer market this summer, as the only confirmed signings they’ve made have been for 18-year-old goalkeeper Lucas Nygaard and David Raya, who signed for the club upon the completion of his loan deal from Brentford.
However, over the last few weeks, plenty of players have been touted for a move to the Emirates, and one of the most talked about has been Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
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That said, links with the Swedish international have seemingly dissipated over the last week or so, and based on recent reports, Mikel Arteta and Co are now keen on another number nine, someone who could be unreal alongside club talisman Bukayo Saka.
Arsenal’s striker search
According to a recent report from the Sun, Arsenal are interested in signing Ajax’s star striker Brian Brobbey this summer.
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The report claims that the Gunners are confident of landing the Dutchman’s services in the coming weeks. However, they will have to contend with Premier League rivals Manchester United, who are also sure of their ability to bring the player to Old Trafford.
The interest from the Red Devils is far from ideal for Edu Gaspar and Co, but the good news is that the 22-year-old is set to cost just £30m, which for an inform forward isn’t unreasonable, especially when Gyokeres might’ve cost the club in excess of £76m.
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It might be a challenging transfer to get over the line, but given his performances last season, one worth pursuing – especially as his partnership with Saka could be deadly.
Why Brobbey would be a great signing
Now, Brobbey’s biggest advantage over Gyokeres is the price, as the extra £46m the Swede could cost the Gunners could and probably should be spent reinforcing other areas of need across the team, such as left-back or central midfield.
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Moreover, while the former Coventry City star was in fine form last season, the Dutchman was as well, which leads us to the first reason he could be excellent for Saka: his output.
In 43 appearances for the Amsterdam outfit last season, the 5 foot 11 “powerhouse”, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, scored 22 goals and provided 12 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.26 games across the entire campaign.
This would be impressive in any Ajax side, but the fact that the Dutch giants were so poor last year and limped into fifth makes it all the more remarkable that he was able to maintain such a high level of output.
Now, imagine how incredible the clinical 22-year-old could be if he had a player who scored 20 goals and provided 14 assists in 47 games to his right, which, if he joins Arsenal, he would have there.
The Gunners’ mercurial number seven would surely see his creative and goalscoring numbers skyrocket with such an effective striker alongside him, and as both players are still relatively young, they’d have years to perfect their partnership.
Lastly, according to FBref, which compares players in similar positions across the next best 14 competitions, the right-footed marksman sits in the top 1% of forwards for non-penalty expected goals and assists, the top 2% for touches in the opposition’s penalty area, the top 5% for assists, the top 6% for pass completion and the top 9% for shot-creating actions, all per 90, so he’s not just had a lucky season.
Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.
Ultimately, while Gyokeres would likely be a great player for Arsenal, the links have dried up, and with Brobbey supposedly available for so much less, signing the Dutchman is a no-brainer, especially as his partnership with Saka could be a game-changer for the North Londoners
