Over the years, Arsenal have had some memorable Spanish players at the club. Of course, there are two in the current squad, goalkeeper David Raya and midfielder Mikel Merino who joined in the last transfer window. The pair were part of Spain’s Euro 2024 winning squad over the summer.
Of course, manager Mikel Arteta hails from Spain and made 150 appearances for the Gunners as a player back in the 2010s. Another classy Spanish midfielder to wear that famous Red shirt was Santo Cazorla, who played 180 times for the club.
Arsenal-Santi-Cazorla
In recent days, the North Londoners have been linked with another highly-rated young Spanish star.
Arsenal target Spanish starlet
The player in question here is young Barcelona winger Arnau Pradas. The 18-year-old winger is highly thought of by the La Liga giants, who have produced so many top talents from their famous academy La Masia.
However, according to a report from Spanish news outlets, they are 'close to seeing' the young winger 'pack his bags and head to Arsenal', who are believed to be holding key talks with the winger. Pradas will become a free transfer in June, with his contract set to expire, and the Gunners could try and pounce on the deal.
The report states that Arteta himself has spoken to the player. He is believed to have been 'reportedly convinced with a very interesting and almost irresistible economic and sporting proposal' to persuade Pradas to make the move.
Arsenal’s next Cesc Fabregas
Should the North Londoners get a deal for the youngster over the line, it could be a repeat of the deal to sign Cesc Fabregas in September 2003. He made the move from the Nou Camp to Highbury as a teenager for a reported fee of £2.25m.
cesc-fabregas-arsenal-fantasy-premier-league
It is fair to say that the midfielder became an iconic figure at Arsenal. He played 303 games for the club in total, contributing to an impressive 152 goals in that time.
Although he was at the club during the invincible season of 2003/04, he did not make an appearance in the Premier League that season. However, Fabregas was part of the FA Cup winning side in 2004/05.
FFC in-text wider
He departed the Gunners in 2011, making the move from North London back to Barcelona as a 24-year-old. His boyhood club paid £35m to resign the then-Gunners skipper, although he would later break Arsenal hearts by swapping the Nou Camp for Stamford Bridge to join Chelsea after his former club did not activate a buy-back clause.
If they manage to bring Pradas to the club next summer, the Gunners would no doubt be hoping he can take to the Premier League as quickly as Fabregas did.
He is a highly-rated player, who football talent scout Jacek Kulig thinks has a “left foot made of gold”, high praise indeed.
The winger has yet to make his first-team debut, playing mainly for Barca’s under-19s in the UEFA Youth League, where he has three goals and an assist in nine games.
That includes a fantastic performance against Bayern Munich under-19s this season. As per Sofascore, he created four chances, completed four dribbles and grabbed an assist that day.
Pradas stats vs. Bayern under-19s
Stat
Touches
Pass accuracy
Ground duels won
Crosses completed
Dribbles completed
Key passes
Big chances created
Stats from Sofascore
To put into context just how good Pradas can become, he has previously been described as a “Lamine Yamal clone”, partly because they are both left-footed wingers.
The Spanish teenage sensation has risen to the top in recent months, becoming a key player for Barcelona. He has six goals and nine assists in just 18 games this term, aged just 17.
Lamine-Yamal-Euro-2024-Spain-France
Arsenal fans must surely be excited at the prospect of signing Pradas this summer. Not only could he be their own Yamal, but if he can remotely replicate the success Fabregas had in that famous Red shirt, they will have an incredible talent on their hands.
It could be a superb addition for Arteta and his side.
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The incredible talent has a bright future at Arsenal.