It’s a new year, but manager Mikel Arteta will be hoping for a continuation of last year’s form as Arsenal move towards the Premier League title with a four-point lead over second-placed Manchester City at midway through the season.
Arsenal ended the year with an emphatic victory over Aston Villa, dispelling any fears (or rivals’ expectations) that they had lost any fluency or sharpness in recent weeks as the Londoners worked towards some wins in recent weeks.
But those were wins, and that’s clear evidence of a great team. The Gunners now head into January with a bang and have their sights set on the title, capping off an intense and exhilarating chapter under Arteta.
Arsenal have changed their stance after Manchester City closed in on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo. I’m ready to spend this month focusing on wide forward.
Arsenal set to sign forward
Gabriel Magalhães’ return with a goal against Villa eased concerns about Arsenal’s defensive depth, with many of their defenders currently out injured.
More important is the need for a goal. Leandro Trossard is Arsenal’s top scorer in the Premier League with five goals. In comparison, Erling Haaland has 19.
With this in mind, the Emirates side are ready to pounce on any opportunity that comes their way, and although Semenyo is not open to a trade with his boyhood club, The Athletic has confirmed Arsenal’s interest, suggesting a move for the wide forward could still be on the table.
This is further confirmed by new news regarding Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, who is in doubt at the Santiago Bernabéu, the Friday edition of Spanish newspaper Sport reports via Sport Witness.
The 24-year-old has long been on the Londoners’ radar and is now understood to be in pole position alongside Manchester City, with both clubs in advanced talks.
With a base market value of £75m, Rodrygo won’t come cheap, but he’s certainly worth it and with Semenyo closing in on the Etihad, Arsenal may be looking for an opening.
What Rodrygo brings to Arsenal
Rodrygo has been a mainstay at Real Madrid for a while, but has been overshadowed by Kylian Mbappé and Vinicius Junior in recent years, and Trossard could find a perfect opportunity to become a superstar on the left at Arsenal, especially as he enters his 30s.
Arsenal could do a lot worse than signing such a versatile forward, who has scored 70 goals and provided 55 assists for one of La Liga’s best sides.
After all, he’s something of a master when it comes to scoring on the biggest stage.
However, given his struggles over the past year at Real Madrid, including a 32-game scoreless run in December, there is a sense that Rodrygo needs a change of pace to remind everyone of his “world-class” abilities, as his former teammate Luka Modric has emphasized in the past.
Arsenal hit the jackpot in the past when they signed a similar deal with Los Blancos. Indeed, Mesut Ozil was a special, special playmaker who, during his best years in the Premier League, was a notch above his creative rivals in the Premier League.
The retired German star completed a move to the Emirates Stadium for a club-record £42.5 million in 2013 and went on to make 254 appearances for Arsenal, providing a number of assists and winning the FA Cup four times.
Ozil was stylish, had a smooth touch on the ball and was a genius. Rodrigo was also a strong and hard-working player in the A matches, praised by manager Arsene Wenger as a “perfect athlete”, but teammate Jude Bellingham said Rodrygo’s skills had more in common with “probably the most gifted, most gifted player” in the Spanish capital, underpinned by strength and a drive to outperform his surroundings and opponents.
For this reason, Arsenal need to sign a Brazilian player. Not only is Arteta’s team bursting with quality, but they are also working hard and selflessly. Rodrigo plays with solid commitment in any role given to him and could be the perfect addition in this regard.
Rodrigo – Career statistics by position | |||
|---|---|---|---|
position | app | the goal | assist |
right wing | 151 | 36 | 33 |
left wing | 94 | twenty three | 18 |
center forward | 85 | twenty two | 8 |
attacking midfield | 4 | – | 1 |
Dates via Transfermarkt | |||
Admittedly, the player has been below his level for some time, but he is also one of the most exciting wingers in the world, contributing to Real Madrid’s latest trophy-laden spell in their long and successful history.
He established this in Spain, but a move to London may be necessary for him to reach his full potential and become something of a talisman for a team capable of competing for the biggest prizes every year, as Ozil did.
Given the 24-year-old’s potential, Rodrygo would be a punt worth taking on, even at a staggering price. He’s proven and they should be able to give him more, like they did when Ozil moved in the past.
Arteta finally ditches Gokeres for Arsenal star ‘like Ian Wright’
Mikel Arteta needs to be ruthless as Victor Gokeres’ centre-forward woes continue.
