Despite falling short in the Premier League title race once again, losing out to the indomitable Manchester City for the second successive season, Arsenal are calmly making transfer tweaks to their outfit.
The transfer window is in full swing and there's now less than one month remaining to conclude business, but the Gunners have already strengthened their backline with the £42m signing of Riccardo Calafiori and are working toward landing Real Sociedad's Mikel Merino to add some steel to the engine room.
Goalkeeper David Raya has also seen his initial loan stint completed for £27m, and now, Mikel Arteta can turn his attention to the front of the ship.
1.
David Raya
Arsenal
16
2.
Jordan Pickford
Everton
13
3.
Ederson
Manchester City
10
3.
Bernd Leno
Fulham
10
5.
Andre Onana
Manchester United
9
Arsenal have one of Europe's highest-quality squads and will be among the favourites in the Premier League and Champions League both this year, but are somewhat lacking at centre-forward.
That could now be changing…
Arsenal targeting new striker
Arsenal are selling some fringe players and replacing them with signings of perceived higher quality, thus improving the overall level of Arteta's squad. Eddie Nketiah is the latest to be worked toward the exit, with Marseille failing with a bid as Edu holds firm on his £30m asking price.
The centre-forward is likely to depart, however, for – as per Football Transfers – Brighton & Hove Albion's Joao Pedro is being pursued.
The Brazilian forward, who joined the Seagulls from Watford for roughly a £30m fee one year ago, enjoyed a successful season on the South Coast and has been the subject of recent internal Gunners' discussions.
Sources understand that Brighton would be willing to cash in for around £50m, so much depends on Nketiah's future.
Joao Pedro's exploits at Brighton
Nketiah is a reliable goalscorer but he doesn't boast the complete set of qualities that Arteta demands from his team – in other words, he is expendable.
Pedro could prove to be an intelligent signing and a big upgrade on the 25-year-old, having scored 20 goals and added three assists across all competitions for Brighton last season, hailed as an "absolute superstar" by journalist Charlie Haffenden.
As per FBref, Pedro, aged 22, ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 7% for fouls drawn and the top 2% for percentage of aerial challenges won (62.0%).
Such metrics denote a strong set of rounded skills, with his ball-carrying ability – he's been described as an "insane dribbler" by analyst Ben Mattinson – leading opponents to commit fouls and his robust physique allowing him to outwork others in the duel.
It's exactly what Arteta's after, with positional fluidity mixed with such athletic qualities and a clinical nature to upgrade on Nketiah, who only has 19 goals from 116 appearances in the Premier League.
He would improve Arsenal's frontline, but he'd also be something of a dream for Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard, whose playmaking brilliance would suit his progressive nature to a tee.
Imagine Joao Pedro & Martin Odegaard
Odegaard has been the linchpin over the past several seasons, awarded the club's Player of the Season for 2023/24 and posting 26 goals and 18 assists across the two terms.
His influence and intelligence, technique and tenacity and box-crashing genius have seen him rise from a one-time wonderkid label to very much live up to the hype.
Across Europe's top five leagues over the past year, Odegaard ranks among the top 5% of midfielders for goals, the top 4% for assists, the top 1% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 11% for progressive carries per 90.
The 25-year-old also created 17 big chances in the Premier League last season, and while his complete quality would be a benefit for any player, his range of passing could unlock the finest football of Pedro.
Brighton's rising star, having completed 1.4 dribbles per game in the English top flight last year and created nine big chances himself, would offer the creative skill of Gabriel Jesus at Arsenal while bringing the kind of growing goalscoring acumen that Odegaard would relish.
The Norway captain's string-pulling presence from the middle of the park has seen him grow into one of Europe's finest players, and Pedro – still only 22 remember – could be the final piece of the puzzle to send the team's dynamism to another level entirely.
Obviously, much hinges on Nketiah's sale, but Arsenal are quite clearly willing to part ways with a player who has been used sparingly under Arteta's wing especially so over the second half of the 2023/24 campaign.
Indeed, earning just six substitute appearances in the Premier League since February – and being left on the bench for a further ten matches – it would appear to be in the best interests of all parties to cash in swiftly.
Kai Havertz and Leandro Trossard have both succeeded at centre-forward over the last year, with the German especially so, but now a more prolific focal point is required.
Having fought tooth and nail to overthrow Man City's imperious reign in England, the Londoners are enjoying an impressive transfer window that might just tip the odds. Third time lucky?
Alongside Merino: Arsenal racing for "monster" to rival the Spaniard
The vastly experienced international would be an excellent signing.
1 ByJack Salveson HolmesAug 2, 2024
