Arsenal`s activity in the transfer market has recently increased significantly.
For many weeks, fans had been concerned that Mikel Arteta`s team was lagging behind Premier League competitors such as Liverpool and Manchester City, who have been highly active in the transfer market so far.
However, unexpectedly, the North London club appears to have finalized agreements for Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga, and are reportedly making headway on a deal for Christian Mosquera.
Furthermore, Arsenal are now linked with Crystal Palace`s impressive Eberechi Eze, although another international player is also rumoured to be moving to the Emirates this summer, someone who could be a superior acquisition compared to the English player.
Arsenal Target International Talent
Given that Arsenal scored 17 fewer goals than the eventual Premier League champions Liverpool this season, it`s understandable that most of their rumoured targets this summer are attacking players, with a particular emphasis on left-wingers like Nico Williams and Eze.
The former (Williams) seemed like a potential solution for Arsenal`s issues in that position, but currently, he appears more likely to transfer to Barcelona than to England.
Eze, conversely, seems a realistic prospect, having established himself in the Premier League for years and possessing a release clause valued at around £68m in his contract, which would simplify the process of signing him.
However, if Arteta and the club truly aim to elevate the team this summer and acquire a player who signals serious ambition, signing Rodrygo might be a better option.
The encouraging news is that they might be thinking along the same lines, as per a recent report from Spain, Arsenal has retained strong interest in the Real Madrid superstar.
In fact, the report goes further, asserting that Arsenal is now readying an offer of approximately €80m for the Brazilian international, which equates to around £68m.
Interestingly, the club intends to structure the payments into three installments: the first around €50m, followed by two payments of €15m each. This payment structure might not be feasible when signing the Palace player due to his release clause requiring a lump sum.
Finalizing this transfer would still be complex and expensive, but considering Rodrygo`s talent, experience, and standing in football, it`s a move Arsenal should pursue vigorously, particularly as he would be a superior signing compared to Eze.
Why Rodrygo would be a better signing than Eze
Firstly, it`s important to acknowledge that both players are highly talented footballers and would consequently be valuable additions to Arsenal`s squad.
After all, their basic statistics from this season are quite comparable; the Palace player recorded 14 goals and 11 assists in 43 matches, accumulating 3303 minutes, while the Real Madrid star achieved the same number of goal contributions over 3448 minutes across 53 matches.
However, the primary argument for Rodrygo being the superior player becomes apparent when examining their underlying statistics.
| Rodrygo vs Eze (Per 90 Minutes) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Statistics | Rodrygo | Eze |
| Non-Penalty G+As | 0.51 | 0.52 |
| Progressive Passes | 5.05 | 3.37 |
| Progressive Passes Received | 11.8 | 5.31 |
| Progressive Carries | 5.28 | 2.40 |
| Shots | 2.52 | 3.48 |
| Goals per Shot | 0.11 | 0.07 |
| Shots on Target | 0.93 | 0.94 |
| Goals Per Shot on Target | 0.30 | 0.26 |
| Expected Assists | 0.20 | 0.16 |
| Key Passes | 2.29 | 2.01 |
| Passes into the Final Third | 3.81 | 2.37 |
| Passes into the Penalty Box | 2.19 | 1.69 |
| Dribble Success % | 56.7% | 42.1% |
| Touches in Attacking Penalty Box | 5.95 | 6.16 |
Stats per 90 minutes this season via FBRef
As the table above shows, Rodrygo beats Eze in several key areas regarding chance creation and ball progression. The Brazilian averages significantly more progressive passes, progressive passes received, progressive carries, expected assists, key passes, and passes into the final third and penalty box.
These numbers suggest he is much more involved in moving the ball forward and creating dangerous situations than the Englishman. While Eze takes and lands more shots (per 90), Rodrygo is more clinical with his efforts, boasting a higher goals-per-shot and goals-per-shot-on-target ratio.
Furthermore, despite having slightly fewer touches in the attacking box, Rodrygo`s significantly higher dribble success rate indicates he is far more effective at beating opponents and driving into dangerous areas, a crucial skill for an attacking winger.
On top of the pure statistics, Rodrygo also has the advantage of having played at the very highest level, regularly featuring for Real Madrid in the Champions League and for Brazil internationally.
Ultimately, while Eze is undoubtedly a fantastic player, Rodrygo`s underlying creative and progressive numbers, combined with his elite-level experience, make him appear to be the better fit for a team like Arsenal aiming to compete at the top of the Premier League and in the Champions League. If Arsenal can indeed land the Real Madrid “superstar” for around £68m, it would be a remarkable piece of business.
