Martin Odegaard took another step forward as a captain, Bukayo Saka reached new levels in terms of his raw output, and Declan Rice helped transform the club's midfield.
Arsenal-Trossard-Partey-Gabriel
However, Gabriel Martinelli was one player who didn't improve and maybe even took a step back, and based on recent reports, he could soon have a fight on his hands for a place in the starting lineup.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are keen on signing RB Leipzig ace and Spanish international Dani Olmo this summer and are currently 'leading the race' for his signature.
FFC Euros In-text
Alongside the Gunners, the report claims Bayern Munich and Barcelona are interested in the Spaniard, who, thanks to a termination clause in his contract, would cost around €60m to sign, which converts to about £51m.
It certainly wouldn't be a cheap deal, but based on his performances over the last few seasons, it's probably one worth pursuing, especially as it'll provide Martinelli with another genuine rival who could push him to get back to his best.
Dani Olmo for RB Leipzig
How Olmo compares to Martinelli
Now, Olmo is quite the versatile player and can play on either wing or in attacking midfield, but with Saka and Odegaard firmly established as two of the first names on the team sheet, he would likely come in primarily as an option to play off the left.
Therefore, his long-term rival would be Martinelli, as Leandro Trossard is set to turn 30 this year, and it seems unlikely that he'd remain the first-choice left-winger for the future.
With that said, how does the Spaniard compare to the Brazilian? Well, from first glance, it looks relatively even as both players scored eight goals and provided five assists last season, but crucially, the Terrassa-born ace did it in just 25 appearances, whereas the Gunners' winger took 44 appearances to reach the same total.
Dani Olmo playing for Spain
Therefore, the Leipzig star impressively averaged a goal involvement every 1.9 games, while the former Ituano gem averaged one every 3.3 games.
How about their underlying numbers, then? Is it another win for the 26-year-old?
Olmo vs Martinelli
Stats per 90
Olmo
Martinelli
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.55
0.56
Non-Penalty Goals
0.37
0.27
Assists
0.26
0.17
Progressive Passes
4.31
2.70
Progressive Carries
3.92
5.68
Shots
3.01
2.40
Goals per Shot
0.12
0.11
Shots on Target
1.00
0.86
Goals per Shot on Target
0.37
0.32
Passing Accuracy
77.6%
77.7%
Shot-Creating Actions
3.98
3.92
Goal-Creating Actions
0.50
0.54
Successful Take-Ons
1.88
2.16
Ball Recoveries
4.81
4.32
Aerial Duels Won
0.61
0.65
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 Season
Interestingly, while it is quite close, the "magic" Spaniard, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, just edges it overall, coming out ahead in metrics such as non-penalty goals, assists, progressive passes, shots and shots on target, goals per shot and shot on target, shot-creating actions, and ball recoveries, all per 90.
In his defence, the 12-capped Brazilian does produce a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, more progressive carries and goal-creating actions, wins more aerial duels and completes more take-ons, also per 90.
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Ultimately, Olmo looks to be a quality player, and while he's not miles ahead of Martinelli, his recent output and underlying numbers prove that he'd be a fantastic rival to help get more out of him on the left, and if he can't rise to the challenge, then Arteta will already have the perfect replacement.
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