After completing a deal to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, Arsenal still have very rich ambitions in the transfer market.
New sporting director Andrea Berta has already made serious progress since arriving in north London, and Arsenal should have a much stronger squad next season.
But as Arsenal close in on a deal for Gyokeres, who comes in as Mikel Arteta’s new left winger remains to be seen.
Leandro Trossard is ready to leave Arsenal this summer amid interest across Europe, and the Gunners are on the search for an upgrade.
And it ultimately seems as if Arsenal will choose either Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, or Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace.
Rodrygo is seriously interested in joining Arsenal this summer
With that in mind, reliable journalist Sami Mokbel has now provided an update on Arsenal’s interest in Rodrygo in particular whilst appearing on the Latte Firm podcast.
Mokbel claimed that Arsenal were ‘very interested’ in signing the Brazilian this summer, in line with TBR Football’s information that Rodrygo is Arteta’s dream signing.
And after recent discussions with the player’s camp, Arsenal believe that the Brazilian would give the move ‘serious consideration’.
Mokbel explained: “In terms of Rodrygo, Arsenal are very interested, very interested in him.
“I think they’ve spoken to the relevant parties connected to the player to see whether he’d be up for it.
“I think they’ve got a positive feedback, as I understand it, that he would certainly give it serious consideration.
Rodrygo Goes celebrating after scoring a goal for Real Madrid against Real Sociedad
Photo by Alvaro Medranda/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images
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“But what I, being absolutely frank, what I’m hearing is that the finances attached to that deal, not necessarily just the fee, but the fee will be hefty.
“I think you’re looking in excess of £70m, probably closer to £80m to get that deal done. I think the wages, he’s one of the European football elite players, right? So he will be commanding a big, big wage.
“So Arsenal can do it, but I think they need to be creative in how they can accomplish that deal, but also make sure that they’ve got money coming in to ensure that the books are balanced because as we’ve already spoken about, they really had a significant spend.
“So if I was to plump between one or the two, I would probably say Ebs would be the one who is more achievable.”
Arsenal unlikely to sign both Rodrygo and Eberechi Eze
Following that update, Mokbel then confessed that he didn’t think Arsenal would sign both Rodrygo and Eze this summer — it’s one or the other.
And in terms of deciding which talent would be better for Arsenal’s left wing role, it’s difficult to compare Rodrygo and Eze as left wingers.
Rodrygo has predominantly been a right winger at Real Madrid, and Eze has often operated as a number 10.
Games Goals Assists
Rodrygo 78 23 16
Eberechi Eze 80 18 12
Rodrygo and Eze’s record playing on the left wing so far in their career (source: Transfermarkt)
And although both do have a reasonable amount of games on the left to analyse, Arsenal might ultimately have to trust Arteta’s instincts.
Eze would certainly find it easier to transition to Arsenal — he knows several of the club’s English players and he’s obviously very comfortable in the Premier League.
And although Rodrygo would find it harder in that respect, perhaps he does have the higher ceiling at 24-years-old, and he’s already one of the best attackers in Europe.
A difficult call for Arsenal to make, but they will be in safe hands either way.