It feels like Arsenal have been waiting a long time for a suitable successor to Alexis Sanchez on the left, and this department looks set to be an area of priority for the summer.
Indeed, regular starter Leandro Trossard has endured a lackluster run in front of goal dating back to December, while teammate Gabriel Martinelli has yet to emerge as a consistent presence at the Emirates, despite showing glimpses of his quality.
The Brazilian made headlines in midweek when he scored Kai Havertz’s winning goal with an inside run from the wing, and the 25-year-old now has 17 goals and assists in all competitions this season.
Despite only being involved in scoring in four Premier League games, his impressive record will ensure that a true Sanchez-style game-changer remains in sight in north London.
Arsenal could need club-record transfer fee to sign first-choice summer target
The Gunners are well on their way to winning the title, but recent struggles in the Carabao Cup and FA Cup have highlighted the room for improvement, particularly in the side.
Mikel Arteta’s side have not been in great form so far on both the left and right flanks, with Trossard and Havertz scoring just six league goals, while on the other flank Bukayo Saka and Noni Maduke have combined for just eight goals.
That may not matter in the grand scheme of things this season, but with reports of apparent interest in Paris Saint-Germain sensation Hviča Kvaratschelia, it’s clear Arteta and Andrea Berta are chasing an upgrade.
The next player, Kuvaratschelia, has already agreed to sign with Arsenal in 2027.
Arsenal may already have an exciting attacking acumen ahead of the game against the Emirates.
According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are believed to have held talks over a possible move for the Georgian winger after making inquiries recently.
Berta and others are thought to be looking to sign the 25-year-old, but the Ligue 1 side are adamant he is not for sale, which appears to be putting a damper on the Gunners’ progress.
However, if a deal goes through, it is likely to cost a reported fee of more than £157m and would break Arsenal’s club record for signing Declan Rice in 2023.
Why Kvaratskhelia will eventually replace Alexis
His arrival at Manchester United in January 2018 may have soured relations, a deal he would soon regret, but it’s hard to overlook the genius of Sanchez, who played with panache at Arsenal.
Sanchez – Career Record | ||
|---|---|---|
club | game | Goal (assist) |
arsenal | 166 | 80(44) |
intel | 142 | 24(28) |
balsa | 141 | 46(38) |
Udinese | 126 | 21(20) |
CoroCoro | 49 | 10(5) |
manchester united | 45 | 5(9) |
marseille | 44 | 18(3) |
river plate | 31 | 4 (3) |
seville | twenty three | 3(1) |
Colbreroa | 11 | 4 (0) |
The Gunners have undoubtedly seen the best of the Chilean, who has scored 80 goals and provided 44 assists in 166 games for the club. By the way, he scored just 46 goals and provided 38 assists in 141 games for Barcelona.
Sanchez’s final Premier League season at the Emirates was particularly impressive, with him playing primarily on the left flank, scoring 24 goals and providing a further 10 assists.
None of Arsenal’s left-sided wingers have come this close to a return since Sanchez’s departure, as Trossard and Martinelli’s mixed fortunes have proven once again this season, but all that could change if a deal is struck for Kvaratschelia.
Just this week, the former Napoli hero put in a breathtaking performance when PSG took on Liverpool in the Champions League, allowing Kvaratschelia to score his team’s second goal of the night with some wonderfully composed footwork inside the area.
As match-winners go, he has left his best work for this season’s European stage and is at his best, already scoring 12 goals and assisting in just 12 games in the competition so far.
His record against Premier League sides has also been particularly outstanding, with three goals in the recent last-16 clash with Chelsea and a shock goal against Aston Villa en route to last year’s victory under Luis Enrique.
Quick-footed and with a devastating end product to match, ‘Cuballadona’ is exactly what his name suggests, a joy to watch in full flow, and possesses Sanchez’s flair for single-handedly winning matches with his innate magic.
In the 2016/17 season, for example, Sanchez’s excellence was reflected not only in his 34 goals and assists, but also in his average of 2.2 key passes and 2.8 completed dribbles per game.
By the way, in Ligue 1 last season, Kvaratschelia, who joined mid-season from Napoli, averaged 1.9 key passes and 1.8 successful dribbles, so he wasn’t that bad.
Of course, as hinted, such a deal would not be cheap and is highly unlikely, but there is still a sense that Arsenal are still missing out on the real X-factor, the ‘wow’ moment that would bring Sanchez or Mesut Ozil to the Emirates.
The signing of the PSG wizard will certainly have echoes of the great days of the bygone transfer window.
Arsenal could accept a £55m bid for new Declan Rice
Despite how successful the season has been, Arsenal are already looking to bring in another Declan Rice.
