One of Arsenal’s top summer priorities is to sign another partner for Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice. Looking at transfer rumours, Mikel Merino is the odds-on favourite to head to the Emirates Stadium.
But what if I told you that Arsenal are interested in Wolves’ Joao Gomes, a 22 year-old midfielder who could complement their engine room perfectly?
According to journalist Valentin Furlan, in their search for the ideal midfielder, Wolves’ Joao Gomes has emerged as a player Arsenal is interested in.
🚨🔎 Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal e o Manchester United demonstraram todos interesse em João Gomes nos últimos dias.
↩️ Os Wolves admitem bom valor de mercado do meia e não se opõem a uma saída nesta janela.
🇧🇷 tem contrato até o meio de 2028. @Lemos_Santos @RudyGaletti pic.twitter.com/w867Khmz6D
— Valentin Furlan (@valentinfurlan_) July 9, 2024
Last season, the Brazilian was an unsung hero in the Premier League; while he did not make headlines, his stats say otherwise. Though he can play as a 6, he played primarily (31 times) as an 8 last season, as he firmly established himself in the Wolves’ engine room.
As compared to other Premier League midfielders (stats by FBREF), he ranks in the top 1% for tackles and tackles in the defensive third, the top 3% for tackles won, the top 5% for tackles in the middle third, dribblers challenged and tackles plus interceptions, the top 16% for passes blocked, and the top 17% for overall blocks, all per 90. Defensively, he could provide Arteta’s midfield with what Granit Xhaka did.
If Arsenal signs him, it might imply two things: he comes in and plays as an 8, and Rice as a 6. Despite Rice’s occasional bursts of brilliance as a box-to-box midfielder, he played 30 times as a No. 6, and it may not hurt him to continue to do so.
Arsenal’s engine room, with the Brazilian in the eight, Rice in the six, and the defence that produced the league’s greatest defence last season, would be difficult to beat.
Darren N
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That would be awesome.
Hes really better playing as a6.
Defensively xhaka offered aerial strength and an ability to be in the right place at the right time. It was his ability to combine that with intelligent movement going forwards, and that bit of quality in his left foot, that made him effective in his final season.
Rice has effectively replaced xhaka. This player seems good defensively, but he needs to have something with the ball as well. We need a playmaker to partner rice, not another defender.
Having the best defense is great but when most teams are sitting back against us, we need to find ways to score and clever passers like partey and jorginho are key to that. Otherwise we allow teams to settle into positions and we struggle to break them down.