This season was supposed to be the year Arsenal finally got over the line in the Premier League and ended their two-decade title drought, but after their first 11 games, that is starting to look unlikely.
Mikel Arteta’s young side have not been as secure at the back as they were last season, already conceding 12 goals, and their attack has been noticeably blunt, with six teams scoring more than their 18 goals.
The North Londoners have had to deal with some unfortunate injuries and questionable refereeing here and there, but there is no getting away from the fact that a number of their star players just look a little off the pace at the moment.
|
Premier League top six |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
# |
Club |
Played |
GD |
PTS |
|
1 |
Liverpool |
11 |
15 |
28 |
|
2 |
Manchester City |
11 |
9 |
23 |
|
3 |
Chelsea |
11 |
8 |
19 |
|
4 |
Arsenal |
11 |
6 |
19 |
|
5 |
Nottingham Forest |
11 |
5 |
19 |
|
6 |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
11 |
4 |
19 |
Unsurprisingly, recent reports have now linked the club with one of the most exciting attackers in the league, someone who could rival both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka next season.
Arsenal transfer news
According to reports from Spain, Arsenal are incredibly interested in West Ham United star Mohammed Kudus.
In fact, the report claims that the Gunners are so keen on the Ghanaian international that they plan to make an offer for him next summer, which could potentially be worth up to €100m, which is about £83m.
While that’s an enormous sum of money, that doesn’t seem too outlandish, as other publications have claimed that the Hammers have inserted an £85m release clause into the former Ajax star’s contract, which is set to reactivate in the summer.
In all, signing Kudus would represent a hugely significant investment, but given his incredible ability, it is well worth making, especially as he could offer competition to several players, including Martinelli and Saka.
Why Kudus would be an ideal addition to Arsenal’s attack
So, before we look at his sensational output over the last few years, let’s look at one of the other key reasons Kudus would be such an excellent addition to Arsenal’s attacking lineup: his versatility.
Yes, across his career to date, the 24-year-old dynamo has played all over the pitch, from right to left wing, attacking midfield to centre-forward and even one game in defensive midfield.
In short, the “sensational” international, as dubbed by Daily Mail reporter Kathryn Batte, can play pretty much wherever he’s asked, which means he’d be able to pick up plenty of game time across a campaign and offer competition to a number of starters.
|
Kudus’ positional versatility |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Position |
Appearances |
Goals |
Assists |
|
Right-Winger |
47 |
21 |
7 |
|
Central Midfield |
46 |
11 |
3 |
|
Centre-Forward |
43 |
15 |
3 |
|
Attacking Midfield |
43 |
11 |
3 |
|
Left-Winger |
15 |
4 |
3 |
|
Left Midfield |
2 |
1 |
0 |
|
Defensive Midfield |
1 |
0 |
0 |
For example, with his vast experience of playing off the right, he could finally allow Arteta to rest Saka when he’s being overplayed or even when he’s underperforming.
Likewise, Julen Lopetegui has played him off the left five times this season, so should Leandro Trossard continue to underdeliver next season, as he has this year, then the Hammers star could also be the perfect player to push or even replace Martinelli on that side of the pitch.
With all that said, it’s all well and good playing in lots of positions, but has the Accra-born maestro been able to deliver for his teams? You bet he has.
For example, in his final full season for Ajax, when he was genuinely a part of the senior side, the 34-capped international racked up a brilliant haul of 18 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.68 games.
|
Kudus’ last three seasons |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
|
Season |
22/23 |
23/24 |
24/25 |
|
Appearances |
42 |
48 |
10 |
|
Goals |
18 |
18 |
2 |
|
Assists |
7 |
7 |
1 |
|
Goal Involvements per Match |
0.59 |
0.52 |
0.30 |
Moreover, in his 55 appearances for the Hammers, against far stronger opposition, the 5 foot 9 wizard has scored 16 goals and provided seven assists, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 2.29 games for the Eastenders.
Ultimately, signing Kudus next summer will require a massive financial effort from Arsenal, but given his sensational form in recent seasons and the need to provide the likes of Martinelli and Saka with more competition, it would be well worth the cost.
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