They might not have hit the halfway point yet, but Arsenal’s season has been less than stellar so far.
The Gunners would have been coming into the campaign hopeful of finally dethroning Manchester City in the Premier League, and while they are five points ahead of them with a game in hand, they are also nine points behind leaders Liverpool.
While poor form is undoubtedly part of the reason why Mikel Arteta’s side are so far behind the Reds, they have also been incredibly unlucky with injuries, as exemplified by the recent news that the talismanic Bukayo Saka will now be out for at least a couple of months following surgery on his hamstring.
However, things might not be all doom and gloom, as recent reports have linked a Premier League star with the club, a star who could be the perfect Saka stand-in.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are ‘keeping tabs’ on several attacking talents, including West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus.
The Ghanaian international has been unreal for the Hammers since completing his £38m move last summer and has unsurprisingly caught the attention of several clubs.
A potential price the North Londoners would have to pay is not mentioned in the story, but reports from earlier this month claimed that due to a £85m release clause set to reactivate in the summer, the Irons would demand a fee of around £100m to sell him next month.
Now, that’s an extraordinary amount of money, but given his incredible ability and Arsenal’s need for a Saka replacement, it could be a price worth paying.
Why Kudus could solve Arsenal's Saka problem
So, to get straight to the point, there is one very simple reason that Kudus could solve Arsenal’s Saka problem: his output.
With the Hale End icon out for some time, the Gunners will need someone who can be a reliable provider of goal involvements to come in and start off the right, and based on the last couple of seasons, the West Ham star could be just the player to do that.
For example, in just 45 appearances for a rather underwhelming Irons side last season, the sensational attacker scored 14 goals and provided six assists, meaning he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 2.25 games and did so playing across the entire frontline.
This season, for an even more dismal West Ham side, the Ghanaian international has still been able to make his mark, scoring three goals and providing two assists in 16 appearances.
Moreover, he’s not just thrived in a lacklustre Irons team; in his final full campaign for Ajax, he was simply sublime.
Appearances
87
61
47
Goals
27
17
14
Assists
12
8
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.44
0.40
0.36
For example, in 42 appearances, the 24-year-old magician scored 18 goals and provided seven assists, meaning he produced a goal involvement on average every 1.68 games.
Lastly, once the Gunners’ mercurial poster boy is fit enough to play, the Accra-born dynamo’s positional versatility could see him remain an essential player in the team, either as competition for the Englishman or off the left or down the middle.
Ultimately, with his immense output, it’s quite clear that, with Saka out injured, Kudus would be, as analyst Ben Mattinson said in the summer, “a game-changer of a signing.”
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