The Spaniard, along with Edu, has recruited strongly this window, adding the likes of Kai Havertz and Declan Rice to bolster the middle of the park ahead of the highly anticipated 2023/24 campaign.
Despite spending over £200m, the spending is not expected to stop yet, with a long way still to go in the transfer period.
Could Arsenal sign Mohammed Kudus?
As reported by the Independent writer Miguel Delaney on Wednesday, Arsenal remain contenders to sign Kudus, with fierce competition noted.
The report claims that rivals Chelsea are leading the pursuit for the midfielder, for a fee in the region of £40m.
The believed viewpoint is that the Blues would be able to ‘price Arsenal out of any prospective deal’ for the 22-year-old, taking into consideration the Gunners’ spending spree early into the window.
How good is Mohammed Kudus?
Lauded as the “complete midfielder” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the Ghanaian prevailed as one of the best performing attacking midfielders in Europe.
As per FBref, over the past year, the Ajax sensation averaged 4.57 successful take-ons and 0.58 expected non-penalty goals per 90, ranking him in the top 1% of attacking midfielders in leagues equivalent to the Eredivisie.For Arsenal, signing a player in the calibre of Kudus could be an additional show of the club's ambition on the back of their title-challenging 2022/23 campaign.
The Gunners fell short to the magnificent treble-winning Manchester City side due to their sheer quality and the lack of depth in Arteta’s side, an area that must be addressed ahead of next season.
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In adding the likes of Rice and Havertz, the Spaniard has recruited quality as well as adding to the numbers, however the north Londoners will face a transitioning period following the departure of a first team regular.
After seven years at the Emirates, Granit Xhaka bid farewell to life in the Premier League to embark on a new challenge with Bayer Leverkusen, leaving Arsenal without the brilliance of the Swiss.
The 30-year-old had a controversial stay in London - having memorably been stripped of the captaincy in 2019 - however his role in the Gunners’ rise in form showed just how integral his presence really was.
Transitioned to a more advanced number eight role, the former Arsenal captain was freed of his recklessness in deep midfield to flourish as the perfect ball-playing midfielder while maintaining his combative nature, notably scoring seven goals and providing seven assists in the league last season.
A similar task could be taken up by Kudus, who excelled in the final third last term, as highlighted by his 11 goals and three assists in Eredivisie.
Alongside his advanced strengths, the midfielder won 52% of his total duels, averaging 5.6 duel wins per game for Ajax in the league campaign, showcasing his ability to multitask in pivotal areas.
Arteta could land the perfect replacement for Xhaka, in a player with a host of potential and versatility, however with the Ghana international in demand this summer, the Gunners will have to ramp up their pursuit to out-gun the likes of Chelsea.
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