Arsenal had a sensational summer transfer window this year.
Andrea Berta and Co secured eight first-team players for Mikel Arteta, and dramatically improved the side with players like Eberechi Eze, Martin Zubimendi and Viktor Gyokeres.
Yet, there was one player many fans were hoping the club would pick up, a player they were heavily linked with, but didn't end up signing in the end: Rodrygo.
Real Madrid's Rodrygo looks on
Real Madrid's Rodrygo looks on
Interestingly, a former Arsenal youngster sold by the legendary Arsène Wenger has actually been compared to the Brazilian, and could have been the Gunners' own version of him.
The best youngster Arsenal let go too soon
While Arsenal have a proud history of bringing through young talent, as we've seen over the last year or so, they've also lost their fair share of future superstars, such as Eze.
Eze on being released by Arsenal-1
The Gunners' recent signing was released by the club as a teenager, but they weren't the only ones who failed to see his talent.
Before being picked up by Queens Park Rangers, the Englishman was let go by Millwall, Fulham and Reading and then rejected by Bristol City and Sunderland.
Fortunately, he got his shot with the Hoops, where Crystal Palace spotted him, and then 40 goals and 28 assists in 169 games later, he returned to the Emirates for £68m.
Another youngster who has returned to N5 on multiple occasions, but donning the white of Tottenham Hotspur, was Harry Kane.
Harry Kane record vs Arsenal (timeless)
The club released the England captain at age 12 due to them not believing he was big enough to make it in the game - an opinion that would come back to haunt the club over and over again.
In all, the former academy gem has scored 15 goals and provided two assists in 21 games against his former side - talk about getting your own back.
However, while these two players were released by Arsenal as youngsters, the club went on to sell another future superstar for a pittance years later.
The star who could have been Arsenal's own Rodrygo
Wenger got so many things right during his time at Arsenal and made so many brilliant signings, but one of his mistakes was selling Serge Gnabry.
The German international was sold to Werder Bremen in the summer of 2016 for just £5m and never looked back.
The game-changing winger hit the ground running, racking up 11 goals and two assists in 27 appearances, which was enough for Bayern Munich to splash £7m on him the following summer.
Serge-Gnabry-Arsenal
The German behemoths immediately sent the Stuttgart-born gem on loan to Hoffenheim for the 17/18 season, where he again showed why the Gunners had made a mistake, producing 18 goal involvements in just 27 games.
The "future legend," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, finally got his chance in the Bayern first team the following year, and to say he grabbed it with both hands would be an understatement.
FFC in-text wider Gnabry
So far, the 52-capped international has made 289 appearances for FC Hollywood, in which he has scored 94 goals and provided 63 assists, resulting in an average of a goal or assist every 1.84 games.
So, it's more than clear that the Gunners made a massive mistake in selling Gnabry all those years ago, but where does this comparison to Rodrygo come into things?
Well, according to FBref, the Real Madrid star was the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to him in the Champions League last season.
We can gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by examining some of the underlying numbers in which the pair rank closely.
Gnabry & Rodrygo
Statistics per 90
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
Progressive Passes
Shots
Passing Accuracy
Carries
Carries into the Penalty Area
All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 UCL Season
These include metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, passing accuracy, carries into the penalty area, shots, and more, all per 90.
In other words, the £312k-per-week German is an exceedingly dangerous winger who can create an abundance of chances for his teammates.
serge-gnabry-bayern-munich-tottenham-champions-league
Ultimately, clubs are always going to let talents slip through their fingers, but losing Gnabry really has to sting for Arsenal, especially as he could have been their Rodrygo.