Mikel Arteta's side pushed the defending champions to the final day and, in the process, picked up the most wins an Arsenal side has ever had in a Premier League campaign.
Among the standout performers over the last ten months, Leandro Trossard was a surprise star.
Arsenal's Leandro Trossard celebrates after the match
Filling in for the underperforming Gabriel Martinelli, the Belgian proved to be a real goal threat on the left-hand side, and based on recent transfer reports, he could be about to become even more effective next year.
Arsenal transfer news
According to recent reports from Turkey (via Sport Witness), Arsenal have maintained their interest in Fenerbahçe's left-back Ferdi Kadioglu and have now 'reached an agreement' with the player and his representative over personal terms.
ferdi-kadioglu
The report has revealed that with the personal terms sorted out, the Gunners will now look to sit down with the Turkish giants themselves and negotiate a deal between the two clubs that will cost at least €20m, which is £17m.
The 24-year-old's £48k-per-week contract expires in June 2026, but Fenerbahçe president Ali Koç has already admitted that the full-back will be able to leave this summer, per the report.
In all, it appears that this could be a relatively straightforward deal for Edu Gaspar and Co to complete, and while £17m isn't nothing, it could prove to be a bargain if it helps Trossard become even more effective off the left.
How Kadıoğlu could improve Trossard
So, how exactly would Kadıoğlu's inclusion in the team improve Trossard? The simple answer is that the Turkey international spends a considerable amount of his time bombing forward to support attacks, as demonstrated by his heatmap from this season.
Compare that to Jakub Kiwior or Takehiro Tomiyasu, who tend to be somewhat more conservative as full-backs - especially the former - thanks to their starts at centre-backs, or Oleksandr Zinchenko, who tends to come into the middle of the park when helping out with the offensive side of the game.
One reason behind the Fenerbahçe left-back's more aggressive style is that he started out as an attacking midfielder and winger before transitioning into a full-back later on.
Kadıoğlu's positional versatility
Position
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Goal Involvements per Match
Left-Back
66
4
6
0.15
Attacking Midfield
56
5
9
0.25
Right Wing
44
5
8
0.29
Right-Back
37
2
4
0.16
Left Wing
23
7
5
0.52
Left Midfield
19
2
1
0.15
Right Midfield
19
1
0
0.05
Central Midfield
15
3
3
0.40
Second Striker
1
0
0
0.00
Defensive Midfield
1
0
0
0.00
All Data via Transfermarkt
However, while he has since primarily played on the left of the defence, the Arnhem-born star is still incredibly versatile, and has started games all over the pitch, including at both full-back positions, both wings, left and right-sided midfield, central and attacking midfield, and even a game as a second striker.
This ability to play in multiple positions, combined with his tendency to fly up and down the wing, can only help the Gunners' Belgian wideman, as while he has generally had more defensive left-backs behind him this season, he would suddenly have a player eager to overlap on the outside or underlap on the inside.
This would give the former Brighton & Hove Albion star more of an opportunity to be a facilitator, as he could lay off passes for the bombarding international, or this extra threat could allow him more space to work, thus increasing his likelihood of getting into goalscoring positions himself.
Moreover, the "electric" full-back, as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, was relatively productive for the Yellow Canaries this season, racking up three goals and five assists in 51 games, which is a better haul than any of the Gunners' left-backs managed.
Kadıoğlu this season
Appearances
51
Goals
3
Assists
5
Goal Involvements per Match
0.15
All Stats via Transfermarkt
Ultimately, Kadıoğlu's tendency to bomb up and down the pitch, positional versatility, and impressive number of goal involvements are the main reasons why adding him to the Arsenal squad this summer could see Trossard's numbers get even better next season and for £17m, that seems like a brilliant deal.
0 Comments