Arsenal have been rocked by the latest harm to talisman Gabriel Jesus, with the membership confirming that he has had surgical procedure and can face an in depth spell on the sidelines.
And with the World Cup in Qatar previous the January switch window, Gunners boss Mikel Arteta may simply now flip his consideration towards signing a substitute up entrance.
With The Solar reporting earlier this season that Arsenal proprietor Stan Kroenke would grant the funds essential to bolster the ranks throughout the winter window, Portugal ace Joao Felix emerges as a possible, if profitable, choice for the membership.
Certainly, Spanish outlet Relevo have reported this week that the north London outfit are set to rival the wealth of high European golf equipment in securing his signature.
Ought to Arsenal swoop for Felix after the World Cup?
YES!
NO!
Bergkamp 2.0
Felix, signed for an eye-watering £113m from S.L. Benfica in 2019, has not fairly lived as much as the hype on the Wanda Metropolitano, solely scoring 33 objectives and offering 18 assists throughout 129 outings for the Spanish giants.
However his expertise has by no means been in query; Spanish outlet AS not too long ago reported that rigidity surrounding supervisor Diego Simeone and the Portuguese ace threatened to boil over, and elements surrounding the membership’s model of play and polarising opinions contributed to an acrimonious ambiance.
As evidenced on World Cup obligation in Qatar, Felix possesses all of the qualities required to flourish for any of Europe’s largest, most outstanding outfits, together with his slick, gliding actions and talent to knit the midfield and offence collectively providing a novel dimension to the workforce that almost all sides scarcely see.
As per Sofascore, the 23-year-old has recorded a powerful common score of seven.33 in Qatar, providing two pictures per match, finishing 79% of his passes in his offensive position, and registering a objective and two assists.
With this spectacular host of expertise, there may be actually a resemblance to Dennis Bergkamp, one among Arsenal’s most beloved and devastating artistic retailers of their distinguished historical past.
Bergkamp’s capability to sit down behind the likes of Thierry Henry and selflessly present assists and attacking assist was a defining issue behind the Gunners’ success throughout that interval.
Knocking up 115 objectives and 95 assists all through his time on the Emirates Stadium, successful three Premier League trophies and 4 FA Cups, Bergkamp cemented his legacy as one of many best to ply their commerce on the membership.
Like Bergkamp, Felix thrives in crafting openings for his teammates, drawing defenders haphazardly throughout their defensive third and unlocking backlines with a combination of artistic and direct efforts.
The Portuguese “sensation” – as journalist Sacha Pisani as soon as dubbed him – will surely not come low-cost, with Atletico doubtless seeking to recuperate a lot of the £113m that they signed him for, with Bayern Munich allegedly bidding £86m for the participant beforehand.
As per FBref, the 27-cap phenom ranks inside the high 11% for assists and progressive passes this previous 12 months, when in comparison with positional friends throughout Europe’s huge 5 leagues.
Felix is immensely proficient, and he would give the Gunners a brand new dimension to their offensive play, one that might pay dividends within the race to clinch their first league title in almost 20 years, serving as a artistic focus, very similar to Bergkamp for Arsenal’s ‘invincibles’.
