The transfer window is just around the corner, and after a dramatic season that saw them once again come close to ending their two-decade Premier League title drought, Arsenal have some work to do.
Most pundits and fans alike will pinpoint the striker position and left eight as particular areas of need, and while they would be right, there is another position that needs strengthening: right wing.
Bukayo Saka seems to be the only player Mikel Arteta plays there – as demonstrated by his 47 appearances this season – but based on recent reports, it looks as if the club could finally land a player to rival the Englishman going forward – and give him some much-needed rest.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent article from The Athletic, Arsenal have maintained their ‘long-term interest’ in Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Portuguese winger Pedro Neto.
However, while the Gunners are big fans of the 24-year-old, his injury record is a concern, which could influence their final decision.
The report does not mention a potential price, but a story in the Telegraph earlier this year claimed that the fee needed to pry the attacker from the Old Gold would be north of £60m.
It would be costly to complete, and there are obvious concerns around his injuries, but the fact that Arsenal have maintained their interest in Neto suggests they view the upside of signing him as more significant than the downsides, and considering Saka currently has no competition, it looks like a deal worth pursuing.
How Neto compares to Saka
Now, the first thing to say is that whoever the Gunners opt to bring in as reinforcements for the right wing is almost certainly going to have to start out as a backup option to Saka, as Arteta and the club have made it abundantly clear that the Hale End sensation is the face of the project and their crown jewel.
However, that doesn’t mean said backup couldn’t push for more game time through impressive performances, and based on what we have seen this season, there is nothing to suggest that Neto wouldn’t be able to stake a claim for himself over the course of a campaign.
For example, while the Englishman’s return of 20 goals and 14 assists in 47 games is boarding on world-class and averages out to a goal involvement every 1.38 games, the Wolves star’s three goals and 11 assists in 24 games is still seriously impressive and averages out to a goal involvement every 1.71 games.
Moreover, while the Ealing-born dynamo comes out ahead in most underlying numbers, it’s not as one-sided as you may think.
