[ad_1]
Arsenal started this season looking a little disjointed and far from the free-flowing, ultra-attacking team that took the Premier League by storm last year.
Yet, 15 games in, the men in red and white are once again sitting atop the league, with a small cushion to Manchester City in fourth place.
Mikel Arteta’s men have looked much more mature this season, and while they have started to look much more fluid in recent weeks, they could still clearly do with some attacking reinforcements.
Brentford’s Ivan Toney has been linked with a move to N5 fairly consistently in recent months, but there is another player who could form a potent attack were he to link up with the 27-year-old at Arsenal, Pedro Neto.
Arsenal transfer news – Pedro Neto
According to the Mirror, Wolverhampton Wanderers star Pedro Neto and Brentford forward Ivan Toney are ‘firm’ targets for Arsenal, and, in even better news, both players are said to be ‘keen’ on a move to the Emirates.
The Portuguese international has been a consistently impressive player for the Old Gold over the last couple of years, and he looked like he had found yet another level this season before suffering an injury against Newcastle United in match week ten, which has seen him out of action since.
The good news is that he should be back on the pitch before the new year, with Gary O’Neil confirming that the 23-year-old whiz is “getting closer” to his comeback.
With the “huge talent”, as described by Alan Shearer, being such an integral part of his team, it should come as no surprise that a move to Arsenal would come at a steep price with football.london reporting that it will take a fee in the region of £60m to secure the winger’s signature.
While it would be an undeniably pricey move, the prospect of seeing him potentially link up with fellow transfer target Toney should excite Gooners.
Now, it should be said that the Gunners are already blessed with a front three that most teams would love to have. Yet, for as excellent as Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli are, Arteta may need more options if he is to dethrone City as the champions of England.
Which is precisely where Neto and Toney come in.
![Arteta could supercharge Arsenal's attack with Toney and £60m assist "machine" 2 Leon-bailey-jhon-duran-douglas-luiz-aston-villa](https://i0.wp.com/static0.footballfancastimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/collage-maker-20-sep-2023-02-28-pm-6643.jpg?resize=814%2C407&ssl=1)
Related
Fabrizio Romano says Arsenal want £80m star who’s “similar” to Douglas Luiz
Arteta is eyeing a new midfielder.
As described by Shearer, the “unplayable” Brentford man has proven his lethal ability in front of goal in the Premier League, having scored 32 goals in 66 appearances for the west Londoners. Conversely, Neto leads the league for assists – despite not having played a game since matchweek ten – so they would be a match made in heaven for Arteta.
Neto vs Saka vs Martinelli |
|||
---|---|---|---|
Stats (per 90) |
Neto |
Saka |
Martinelli |
Goals |
0.10 |
0.37 |
0.19 |
Assists |
0.71 |
0.44 |
0.19 |
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists |
0.51 |
0.55 |
0.31 |
Shots on Target |
0.61 |
0.82 |
0.96 |
Shot-creating Actions |
0.91 |
0.89 |
0.58 |
Successful Take-Ons |
2.35 |
1.63 |
1.92 |
Crosses |
7.55 |
6.07 |
6.25 |
The assist “machine”, as described by TalkingWolves editor Sam Beeken, also measures up quite well to the Gunners’ current starting wingers, either coming close to their numbers or outright beating them in some instances, especially regarding metrics directly tied to assisting his side’s goalscorers.
Ultimately, Arsenal are one of the best sides in the country, but they would reach another level if they were to sign both of these players. While they might not start every game, you can be sure that with Neto’s creative brilliance and Toney’s clinical finishing, they would help end the north Londoner’s two-decade title drought.
Just imagine Neto beating a man and crossing the ball for the England international to find the back of the net…
[ad_2]
Source link