Arsenal’s interest in January signings to bolster their flourishing squad is no secret, and a fresh name has entered the roaring rumour mill, according to reports from Italy…
What’s the word?
The latest murmurings over Arsenal’s forthcoming transfer activity centre around Nicolo Zaniolo, who has reached a stumbling block in his contract negotiations with AS Roma, leaving Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta poised to pounce.
According to Radio Radio in Italy, via Sport Witness, Arsenal are interested in a deal for the Roma player with the club potentially set to offer in the region of €25m (£21.8m) amid claims that he won’t sign a new deal in the capital.
Arsenal’s own Son
At just 23 years of age, Zaniolo’s level of performance has not quite reached its zenith, but with numerous exemplary displays in Italy over the past few years, it is no wonder that the likes of the Gunners are looking to forge a deal.
Since signing for the Giallorossi from Inter Milan in 2018 for an initial fee of £3.9m, Zaniolo has emerged as one of Italy’s hottest prospects, making a total of 125 appearances, scoring 24 goals and serving 18 assists.
This season, Zaniolo has played 14 matches across all competitions and scored twice, assisting a further three goals.
His most notable contribution, however, came in the Europa Conference League final last season, where his resounding finish proved to be the solitary goal against Dutch outfit Feyenoord, bringing European success to the prestigious side for the first time in their history.
His versatility and quick bursts of pace offer shades of Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, with the 30-year-old South Korean phenom standing as one of Europe’s most dangerous flankers.
Son, who signed for Spurs for a reported £22m from German outfit Bayer Leverkusen in 2015, has scored 136 goals and provided 76 assists from 344 outings for the outfit, steadily improving and blossoming into a £61m-rated gem.
Zaniolo, who can play in a host of roles for his side, including Son’s favoured wide roles, is ranked by FBref within the top 3% for total shots and 9% for progressive passes received when compared to positional peers currently playing throughout Europe’s top five leagues – an indication of the direct Son-esque threat he could bring to the Emirates Stadium.
Ddubbed a “frightening talent” by journalist Ben Jacobs, he could harness his talents and emerge as Arsenal’s very own version of the Tottenham star, tapping into the talent embedded within the current Gunner crop and refining his clinical ability to devastating effect.
Indeed, the 11-cap Italian has not quite unlocked the full circle of his potential, but with increments seemingly made season upon season, he could emulate Son and emerge as a formidable creative force for the other north London giants.