Edu and Arteta could outdo his Zinchenko masterclass if Arsenal sign “world-class” £60m playmaker.
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Arsenal’s quest to dethrone Manchester City as the dominant force in the Premier League may have fallen short this season, but the club has undeniably made significant strides forward.
Despite this setback, the Gunners remain optimistic that with another summer of substantial investment, their manager, Mikel Arteta, can lead the team to finally overthrow Pep Guardiola’s seemingly unstoppable side. Guardiola’s City, on the other hand, still has the chance to secure a famous treble with just two games remaining in their campaign.
Last season, Arsenal’s progress was facilitated by the acquisitions of Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City. While these transfers may have appeared unremarkable at first, they had a transformative impact on the team. The winning mentality brought by both players elevated Arsenal from a side that had failed to secure a top-four finish the previous year to a commendable second-place finish.
Interestingly, Guardiola seems to be repeating his past mistakes as reports suggest that he is once again open to selling players to the Gunners, their closest rivals in the race for next season’s Premier League title. According to Fabrizio Romano’s recent report, Guardiola is willing to offload Joao Cancelo, with Bayern Munich refusing to meet the €70 million (£60 million) buy-out clause. This situation could potentially see Cancelo finding his new permanent home in North London.
The arrival of Zinchenko allowed Arteta to implement his football philosophy throughout the squad, with the Ukrainian becoming the vital inverted full-back he had long desired. Acquiring Cancelo would arguably perfect Arteta’s system both defensively and offensively, considering the success the Portuguese international has enjoyed in a similar role in recent years. There is a precedent to believe that Cancelo could surpass Zinchenko’s impact, thus surpassing the success achieved by Arsenal’s sporting director, Edu Gaspar, in acquiring the Ukrainian defender.
Although Cancelo’s average rating this season stands at 6.93, lower than his 7.07 average rating in the previous campaign, it does not fully reflect his importance to the team. With an 88% pass accuracy and 0.7 key passes per game, Cancelo poses a significant creative threat from deep positions. Furthermore, his 63% dribble success rate highlights his ability to contribute effectively in attacking transitions.
Nonetheless, it is worth noting that in his last full season at Manchester City, Cancelo outperformed these numbers with ease, maintaining an impressive average rating of 7.33. He contributed seven assists, 1.1 key passes, 2.3 tackles, and 1.6 successful dribbles per game, solidifying his status as a dynamic player capable of seamlessly transitioning from defense to midfield. This versatility prompted writer Michael Cox to dub his position the “full-back-deep-playmaker.”
Cancelo’s exceptional form even earned praise from former Aston Villa right-back Ahmed Elmohamady, who described him as a “world-class player” developed under Guardiola’s tutelage. While Zinchenko has been exceptional for Arsenal, it is fair to say that Cancelo set the bar for the 26-year-old to follow. Guardiola’s molding of Cancelo into this unique role demonstrates the potential for Arsenal to reach new heights if they secure his services, surpassing the success of Edu’s previous acquisition from a familiar rival.
Arsenal’s pursuit of ending Manchester City’s stranglehold on the Premier League may have faltered this season, but the club has made significant progress. With another summer of substantial investment and the potential acquisition of Joao Cancelo, guided by manager Mikel Arteta, the Gunners aim to challenge Guardiola’s seemingly unbeatable side. Cancelo’s track record and
