Although they are yet to win the Premier League since leaving Highbury, Arsenal have a sensational player representing them at the Emirates Stadium.
Players like Mesut Ozil, Cesc Fabregas and more recently Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were, or are, world-class international players, but perhaps the best of them all was Alexis Sanchez.
The former Barcelona star may have tarnished his reputation among fans by joining Manchester United in 2018, but he was virtually unplayable during his time in North London, scoring an astonishing 124 goals in 166 games.
So fans should be seriously excited by reports linking Arsenal to another international superstar who could become the new Sanchez.
Arsenal targeting another Sanchez
Unlike last season, Arsenal have not found it too difficult to score goals this year, with four players having scored four or more goals in all competitions this season.
However, injuries are once again an issue, and while Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli have stepped up this year, it would be unwise for Arteta and Co to rely solely on them to defend on the left for the rest of the season.
The club appears to share this view and are prepared to go all-out in the winter season to sign a potentially game-changing winger in the style of Sanchez.
At least that’s according to a report in Spain that claims Arsenal maintain significant interest in Rodrygo.
In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the Gunners are currently prepared to spend €90m, or around £80m, on the Real Madrid star.
It won’t be an easy deal to get over the line, especially with Liverpool and Chelsea said to be interested, but it could be worth pursuing, especially since Rodrygo could be another Sanchez-type player for Arsenal.
Why Rodrigo becomes another Sanchez
There are some obvious similarities between Rodrygo and Sanchez, but one of the biggest is where Rodrygo came from to join Arsenal.
Like the Chilean superstar, the Brazil international will be coming from one of Spain’s Big Two teams, but more importantly he will be leaving a bit-part role to become a mainstay at the Emirates.
Furthermore, although he has spent most of his time on the right, like the former Barça star, he is primarily a left-sided attacker, which is where he will play in North London.
And finally, the 24-year-old could have a similar game-changing effect on the Gunners’ attack if Arteta can get the best out of him.
After all, he hasn’t had his best season this year, but he has performed incredibly well for Real so far and could have boosted Arteta’s attack if played correctly on the left.
Rodrigo’s real record | |
|---|---|
Appearance | 283 |
begins | 181 |
minutes | 16512′ |
the goal | 68 |
assist | 53 |
Number of goals involved per match | 0.42 |
Hours per goal involvement | 136.46 feet |
All stats via Transfermarkt | |
For example, despite being forced to play on the right wing for the past two years, the player Luka Modric has described as a “world-class superstar” has racked up 68 goals and 53 assists in 283 appearances and 16,512 minutes.
In other words, the former Santos treasure has been involved in a goal on average every 2.33 games, meaning he has been involved in a goal every 136.46 minutes for Los Blancos.
In addition, he has scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists in 67 games in the Champions League, eight of which came in knockout matches.
At the end of the day, Rodrygo hasn’t had a great season, but there’s no denying his immense talent and ability to turn games around.
Arsenal should therefore do everything they can to sign him in the winter period, as he could be another Sanchez-type player.
