He'd be a dream for Gyokeres: Arsenal close in on signing £68m "superstar"
da luck： It must feel like Christmas Day every day for Arsenal fans at the moment.
da brdice： Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta have already sealed the signings of Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and look set on spending even more.
Noni Madueke has reportedly passed his medical, and a deal has been agreed for Valencia’s promising centre-back Christian Mosquera.
On top of all of that, Viktor Gyokeres could be announced as an Arsenal player at any point this week, and if reports are to be believed, the club are closing in on another international who’d be his dream ten.
Arsenal target dream ten for Gyokeres
After years of looking for an out-and-out nine to lead the line for them, Arsenal have settled on Gyokeres.
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The Swedish international has been linked with the club in prior windows, and even looked to be second-choice behind Benjamin Sesko at one point this summer, but finally, a deal has been agreed for the Sporting star.
According to The Athletic’s David Ornstein, the Gunners will pay an initial fee of £55m for the 27-year-old, with £9m coming in the way of performance-related add-ons.
It feels like a good deal for someone who’s scored goals for fun over the last two years, and now it looks like the North Londoners are trying to bring in an attacking midfielder who’ll get even more out of him.
At least that’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who reported for Football Insider that Arsenal are still very much interested in Eberechi Eze.
O’Rourke has revealed that the Gunners are closing in on the Crystal Palace star, and that they would be willing to pay his full £68m release clause to get the deal done.
However, due to FFP and PSR concerns, they will not be able to pay it all upfront, and are therefore in talks with the South Londoners over paying it in instalments.
It’d still represent a serious investment from Arsenal, but Eze has proven he’d be worth it, and he’d also be the perfect ten for Gyokeres.
Why Eze would be Gyokeres' perfect ten
It might sound simplistic, but as Gyokeres is quite traditional in the sense that he does most of his work in the penalty area, one of the key reasons he’d love playing with Eze is that he’d be able to get the ball to him.
For example, he can move the ball up the pitch with his dribbling, as FBref ranked him in the top 10% of attacking midfielders and wingers for successful take-ons in the Premier League last season and the top 11% for general shot-creating actions, all per 90.
Crucially, he also makes things happen when he gets into dangerous areas, as he racked up 14 goals and 11 assists in just 43 games last season.
Eze vs Odegaard in 24/25
Players
Eze
Odegaard
Appearances
43
45
Minutes
3303′
3447′
Goals
14
6
Assists
11
12
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
0.40
Minutes per Goal Involvement
132.12′
191.5′
All Stats via Transfermarkt
That was a far better return than the Gunners’ current first-choice attacking midfielder, Martin Odegaard, who racked up 18 goal involvements in 45 games.
In short, the Sporting star will be able to play ahead of the Palace ace, safe in the knowledge that he’ll be provided with a regular supply of chances, and even have the opportunity to turn provider himself at points.
Finally, what is one of the main drivers behind the former Coventry City star’s desperate desire to join the North Londoners this summer?
It’s to have the chance to win the biggest prizes in the club game, and the English “superstar,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, proved that he’s the man for the big occasion last season.
He scored in the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and then the final of the FA Cup, so Gyokeres would surely feel confident that his creative midfielder would perform at his very best in the crunch games and not let him down.
Ultimately, while it’d be another massive outlay, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign Eze this summer, as he’d be a brilliant addition to the squad and someone who could help get the best out of the Swedish goal machine.
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