Arsenal lining up £40m “box crasher” to finally replace Xhaka

While the focus at Arsenal is very much centred around their ongoing Premier League and Champions League ambitions, attention will soon turn to the upcoming summer transfer window, with Mikel Arteta no doubt seeking further reinforcement to help maintain his side’s upward trajectory.

A notable area of concern may well be the midfield ranks, with the Gunners perhaps still seeking to fill the void left behind by one-time skipper Granit Xhaka, despite having bolstered their ranks with the £105m addition of Declan Rice last summer.

With Odegaard pulling the strings in a creative role ahead of the Englishman, the only issue remains just who is the long-term fit to complete that triumvirate, with both Jorginho and Thomas Partey into their 30s and Kai Havertz – who has scored ten goals this season – now typically operating in a more advanced berth.

As such, it is no surprise to see reports that the north Londoners are seeking to acquire a new addition in the centre of the park who could potentially take on that Xhaka role for the foreseeable future…

Arsenal’s search for a midfielder

According to a report from Portuguese outlet O Dia – via Sport Witness – earlier this week, the Emirates outfit are potentially set to ‘make an offer’ for Wolverhampton Wanderers starlet, Joao Gomes, with the Brazilian having enjoyed a promising first 18 months at Molineux.

As per the piece, the former Flamengo man – who made the move to England back in January 2023 on a £15m deal – is also under consideration for rivals Manchester United, with Arsenal set to have competition in their pursuit this summer.

Any deal is also complicated by the 23-year-old’s current contract which runs until 2028, ensuring any suitor may have to pay in excess of £40m ahead of next season.

How Joao Gomes could fit in at Arsenal

While Arteta’s men have certainly thrived without Xhaka in tow this season – as their place in the title race can attest to – there’s no denying the impact that the Swiss star made last term, scoring seven goals and providing a further seven assists in the Premier League.

That ability to impact proceedings from his left-eight role in the midfield made the 31-year-old a particularly effective presence in attack, having been lauded as a “revelation” in that advanced berth by club legend, Nigel Winterburn.

Seeking someone to perhaps take on that role in the near future, Arteta and Edu could do worse than look the way of Gomes, with the £30k-per-week machine a real “all-action” asset and a genuine “box crasher” who is a menace in the final third – as per data analyst, Ben Mattinson.

That can be seen in the fact that the in-demand talent has scored twice and chalked up one assist so far this term for Gary O’Neil’s men, with both of those efforts coming against Arsenal’s bitter rivals Tottenham Hotspur in north London back in February.

Much like Xhaka was a real “fighter” during his time at the Emirates – as per pundit Alan Hutton – Gomes has also proven himself to be willing to put in the hard yards defensively, having been hailed as a “dog of a ball winner” by Mattinson.

Ahead of this weekend, the two-cap Brazil international ranked in the top 1% for tackles made among his peers across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref, having notably averaged 3.9 tackles per game in the league this season – ahead of even that man Rice (1.6 tackles per game).

All in all, if Arsenal can strike a deal for anywhere close to the £40m mark, it could represent a truly astute deal to help finally replace Xhaka in north London.

Related
The talented star underperformed when Arsenal needed him most in Europe.