Arsenal once again failed to get over the line in the Premier League or Champions League this season, so to ensure they achieve their goals next year, the club look set for an incredibly busy summer.
For example, while no signings have officially been announced, it’s been widely reported by the likes of Fabrizio Romano that Martin Zubimendi is incredibly close to joining the North Londoners in the coming weeks.
The Spanish international has been a key component of Real Sociedad’s midfield for years, played a crucial role in Spain’s European Championships triumph last year, and is still just 26 years old.
In short, the San Sebastian-born international will be an excellent addition to the Gunners’ squad, but if recent reports are to be believed, the club are now targetting someone who’d be even more exciting.
Arsenal transfer news
The good news is that, over the last few weeks, Arsenal have been linked with a host of incredibly exciting players, so before getting to the star in question, it is worth examining a few of them, like Benjamin Sesko and Antoine Semenyo.
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The former has been a long-term target for the Gunners and is reportedly available for close to £70m, which might end up being a bargain for someone described as “the new Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, who scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 45 games this season.
Semenyo, on the other hand, may cost just as much as the Slovenian and managed to rack up a reasonable enough tally of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances for Bournemouth this season.
However, it now looks like the North Londoners are interested in an even more prolific Premier League-proven attacker: Bryan Mbeumo.
According to a recent report from transfers expert Romano, Arsenal are now one of several English teams seriously keen on the Brentford star.
Romano claims that alongside the Gunners, Manchester United and Newcastle United are also big fans of the Cameroonian international, who, according to other stories from the last few weeks, could be available for around £60m.
It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but one well worth fighting for, especially as Mbeumo would be a more exciting addition than Zubimendi.
Why Mbuemo would be a more exciting signing than Zubimendi
Okay, so the first thing to say is that for the aforementioned reasons, like his experience and track record of performing in big moments, Zubimendi would be an important and exciting signing for Arsenal.
However, it’s also true that Mbeumo would be an even more exciting addition to the team this summer for a host of reasons, chief among them being his unreal output.
For example, despite playing for a mid-table – at-best – team, and who were without their star striker for half of last year, the former Troyes star managed to end the 23/24 season with an impressive haul of nine goals and seven assists in 27 appearances, totalling 2079 minutes.
That means the Avallon-born dynamo managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.68 games, or every 129.93 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.
Yet, somehow, instead of plateauing or even regressing, the often “unplayable” international, as dubbed by manager Thomas Frank, did even better this season.
Appearances
27
42
Minutes
2079′
3577′
Goals
9
20
Assists
7
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.59
0.69
Minutes per Goal Involvement
129.93′
123.34′
In 42 appearances, totalling 3577 minutes, the 25-year-old phenomenon scored 20 goals and provided nine assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.44 games, or every 123.34 minutes.
On top of his outrageous output, the 18-capped attacker can also play up top or as a second striker, and if there is anything we know about Arteta, it’s that he likes players who can excel in more than one position.
Ultimately, Zubimendi could be an incredibly important cog in the machine next season, but goals and dynamic attacking phases of play are what get fans on their feet, and for that reason, Mbeumo would undoubtedly be the more exciting signing for Arsenal.
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