And Bukayo Saka is back. Arsenal were keen for Project’s marquee player to feature in the title race, and he lived up to their expectations on a wet and windy day at the Emirates Stadium.
Truth be told, by Saka’s high standards, this season has not been overwhelming for me personally. Yes, he has struggled with injuries, but his goals and assist numbers are much lower than what is generally expected.
He had not scored in his last seven games until Saturday when he scored his second goal in the Gunners’ 3-0 win over Fulham at home to Arsenal. In fact, he had only scored two goals since December.
However, he is now back in form and not only scored, but also provided an assist with great skill, allowing Victor Gökeres to score the opening goal.
The quality of Arsenal’s attacking play has improved significantly, but that doesn’t mean their plans for this summer should change.
Arsenal looking for new winger this summer
Arsenal may have scored the most goals in the Premier League this season, but that doesn’t paint the whole picture.
They have really struggled in the final third in recent weeks. Before Sunday’s 3-0 win, Arteta’s side had only scored one goal a game in their previous eight games.
It sparked serious discussion about what needs to change. There is no doubt that the left winger is a top priority, with links with the likes of Bradley Barcola and Hviča Kvaratschelia emerging in recent weeks.
Another player they are keeping an eye on is Ajax’s Mika Gotts. The Belgian is currently one of the most exciting wingers in Europe and a number of teams, including Manchester United, are in favor of signing him.
Arsenal’s most expensive contract in history
The Gunners have spent generously in recent years.
Still, Arsenal appear to be in pole position to secure his services. This was said by Arsenal club official Hand, who revealed on social media this weekend:
He said: “Arsenal are pursuing Mika Gotts. My understanding is that if we can generate interest and play seriously, the Belgian will be very willing to join Arsenal.”
This is unlikely to be a cheap deal, with previous reports suggesting it could cost £65m to lure him away from the Eredivisie.
Why Gotts could be Arsenal’s new Saka
Arsenal only need to sign a new winger this summer. Otherwise, it would be a huge failure for Andrea Berta.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard have struggled greatly this season. The former has found the back of the net just once in the Premier League throughout the 2025/26 campaign, while the latter has not scored in his last 23 games. He hasn’t scored any goals in 2026.
However, Trossard made a huge improvement in Saturday’s game against Fulham. Gotts’ international colleague brilliantly assisted Gokeres’ third goal, created two big chances overall and completed all six of his dribbles. It was a mesmerizing performance from the Belgian.
But now it’s time to get rid of him. It’s time for the gods to arrive. The 20-year-old, who was traded as a left winger, looks like a right-handed player from every angle.
This season, the young forward has recorded 17 goals and 14 assists in 40 games. He is not only a goalscorer, but also a very good creator.
He manages to create a lot of space with his dribbling ability and progressive nature. Like Saka, his ability to create scoring opportunities for other players is top-notch. This season, only three players have created more than 70 chances and completed more than 70 take-ons in Europe’s top seven leagues.
One of them is Gotts, the other two are Juventus’ Kenan Yildiz and Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal. He is already getting along well.
Saka vs Gotts: 2025/26 league statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (every 90 minutes) | of | God |
the goal | 0.4 | 0.7 |
shot | 1.9 | 2.3 |
shot accuracy | 62% | 61% |
assist | 0.2 | 0.5 |
An opportunity has arisen | 2.6 | 2.7 |
Take-up completed | 2.2 | 2.9 |
Successful take-up | 52% | 48% |
foul win | 2.3 | 1.4 |
won a duel | 7 | 5.6 |
An outstanding dribbler, he excels at playing in tight spaces and ranks incredibly close to Saka in both take-ons and chance-making throughout the ongoing season.
There may be concerns regarding this transaction. Anthony’s performances after arriving from Dutch football are well documented, but there are also recent success stories. Arsenal can understand this by looking at Julian Timber. Robin van Persie also fared well after trading Holland to England.
If this move is anywhere near as successful, Arsenal would be getting a strong, talented player and could potentially be another version of Saka.
Gotts’ signature is an absolute must this summer, as Trossard and Martinelli have been underperforming for a while now.
He was a monster vs Fulham: Arsenal seem to have found their new Wilshere
Arsenal improved their chances of winning the Premier League with a 3-0 win over Fulham.
