Arsenal set to submit bid for “incredible” star who’s like Rodrygo & Yamal

It’s pretty easy to point out where Arsenal need to strengthen this summer: attack.

However, while the primary focus of the fans might be on who Mikel Arteta and Co could bring in up top, and understandably so, it’s arguably just as crucial that the club improve their wing options.

The North Londoners need a proven leftwinger who can come in and help alleviate the attacking burden placed upon Bukayo Saka off the right.

Fortunately, that seems to be the case, as reports have now linked Arsenal to an international who has been compared to the incredible Rodrygo and Lamine Yamal.

Arsenal’s winger search

With Arsenal’s left-wing issues being impossible to ignore this season, the club have unsurprisingly been linked with a host of brilliant wide talents in recent weeks, such as Antoine Semenyo and the afformentioned Rodrygo.

The former enjoyed a brilliant campaign with Bournemouth this year, racking up a tally of 13 goals and seven assists in 42 appearances, which helps to explain the hefty £70m price tag placed on his head.

Likewise, the Real Madrid star enjoyed a relatively good year in Spain, scoring 14 goals and providing ten assists in 51 games, although with a price tag of up to £85m, the club might want to look for cheaper alternatives, like Leroy Sane.

Yes, according to a recent report from Turkey, Arsenal have not only maintained their intense interest in the Bayern Munich star but are planning to “make a formal offer” for him today.

It could be a clever bit of business from the Gunners, as, thanks to his contract with FC Hollywood expiring this month, the German international would be available on a free.

It might not be the most exciting transfer of all time, but it’s one Arteta and Co should push to complete, as on top of his undeniable quality, the former Manchester City star has also won comparisons to Yamal and Rodrygo.

How Sane compares to Rodrygo & Yamal

Before we look at a couple of the reasons why Arsenal might want to, and should, sign Sane this summer, it’s essential to address these comparisons to Yamal and Rodrygo and where they have come from.

In both cases, they stem from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues and came to the conclusion that the Spaniard – who has been utterly superb this year – has been the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the German for the last 365 days.

Then, when looking at purely the Champions League from this season, FBref concluded that the Brazilian was the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bayern ace in this year’s competition.

The best way to understand how these conclusions were reached is to take a closer look at the metrics in which the players are similar, and in the case of the Barcelona gem, that included things like expected assists, key and live passes and more, all per 90.

In Real Madrid star’s case, the metrics include things like non-penalty expected goals, aerial duels won, tackles, blocks, carries into the penalty area, and more, all per 90.

Now, while being compared to two of the most exciting wingers on the planet should already be encouraging enough, there are a couple of other reasons the Gunners should be going out to sign the “incredible” Bayern ace, as dubbed by Pep Guardiola, as soon as possible.

The first is that even though his game time was somewhat restricted this season, he remained a potent threat, both in terms of scoring goals and creating them.

For example, in 45 appearances, totalling just 2376 minutes, the 29-year-old dynamo was able to score 13 goals and provide six assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.36 games, or more crucially, every 125.05 minutes.

Finally, on top of everything else, the Essen-born star is a proven winner, having picked up two Premier Leagues with City and then four in Germany, which is just the sort of player Arteta should be adding to his talented but sometimes a little naive squad.

Ultimately, given his ability, track record and the calibre of players he is still being compared to, signing Sane for nothing this summer feels like a total no-brainer for Arsenal.