Arsenal eye up move for a “future Ballon d’Or winner”

Last night’s Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain was a game to forget for Arsenal fans.

While Mikel Arteta’s side are still just about in the tie, they were incredibly disappointing against the French Champions, and failed to show any of the grit and determination that saw them get past Real Madrid earlier this month.

There were lacklustre performances across the pitch from the hosts, but arguably the most underwhelming starter was Martin Odegaard, who picked up a 4/10 match rating from the Independent’s Jamie Braidwood and amassed a combined expected goal plus assists figure of just 0.08, which is unacceptable from the team’s supposed chief creator.

So, fans should be excited about recent reports that have linked the club to one of the most exciting players in Europe, someone who could be a massive Odegaard upgrade.

Arsenal could sign £30m Odegaard upgrade

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other midfield talents linked with a move to Arsenal ahead of the summer transfer window, such as Oihan Sancet.

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The Athletic Bilbao ace was touted for a move to the Emirates earlier this month, and it’s not hard to understand why he’d interest the club, as in just 32 appearances this season, he’s scored 17 goals and provided three assists.

In what would be a summer-defining move, the Gunners have also been linked with Bayer Leverkusen star Florian Wirtz this month.

The German international has already racked up a sensational haul of 15 goals and 13 assists in just 42 games for the reigning champions of Germany, although, with a reported price tag of at least £111m, this feels like more of a pipe dream than a realistic transfer, unlike stories around Rayan Cherki.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several sides interested in signing the French phenom, including Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and more.

While the level of competition is far from ideal, the good news is that this wouldn’t be a particularly expensive transfer to get done, with the report claiming that Lyon value their star at up to €35m, which is about £30m.

It could be a complicated deal to get over the line, but given Cherki’s immense ability and potential, it is one worth fighting for, especially as he could be the perfect Odegaard upgrade.

How Cherki compares to Odegaard

So, the first thing to say is that while Cherki has primarily played off the right this season, his most played position across his whole career is attacking midfield, and with Bukayo Saka currently Arsenal’s best player, the Frenchman would almost certainly join the club to play in the middle of the park.

Therefore, his primary competitor for game time would be Odegaard, but how do the pair stack up against one another?

Well, when it comes to their pure output, it’s hardly fair to call it a competition, as the Lyon gem comes out miles ahead.

For example, in just 41 appearances, totalling 2894 minutes, the 21-year-old has scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists, which comes out to a sensational average of a goal involvement every 1.32 games or every 93.35 minutes.

In contrast, the Gunners’ captain has scored five goals and provided ten assists in 40 appearances, totalling 3072 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.66 games, or every 204.8 minutes.

Things don’t get any better for the Norwegian international when we take a look under the hood at their underlying numbers either.

For example, in practically every metric, the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, comes out on top.

Delving into the other stats, Cherki also comes out on top in metrics such as progressive carries, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90 minutes.

Finally, the Lyon-born dynamo is ambipedal, meaning he can use both feet, so he’d be able to effect play across the entire frontline from the attacking midfield role, which in turn could see Gabriel Martinelli get better service out on the left.

Ultimately, Cherki is younger, has better underlying numbers, is an output machine and has the added benefit of being able to use both feet, so if Arsenal have the opportunity to sign him this summer, they should, as he’d be an incredible Odegaard upgrade.

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