Bukayo Saka might not be enjoying his most prolific campaign in an Arsenal shirt, but the right-sided forward remains one of Mikel Arteta's most influential and important lieutenants.
Should the first-place Gunners get their hands on the Premier League title this season, the Three Lions star will have had a defining say, driving Arsenal up and into the ascendancy over the past five years or so.
But Saka's return this season - four goals and an assist in the league - does leave something to be desired, especially when the Londoners lack another truly clinical wide forward, someone who can score and assist week in and week out.
Bukayo Saka - Premier League Career by Season
Position
25/26
24/25
23/24
22/23
21/22
20/21
19/20
18/19
Stats via Transfermarkt
Arteta's post-Christmas comments have underlined the club's ambitions ahead of the January transfer window, with Arsenal certainly not against spending on the right recruit.
Arsenal's January transfer plans
Arteta has confirmed that Arsenal are ready to spend in the January transfer window. Their stance has shifted after a summer of sweeping changes, perhaps because their rivals are gearing up for some winter shopping.
Defensive injuries could see the Emirates side pounce on fresh cover, but there is also an appetite for fresh attacking quality, especially as title rivals Manchester City close in on Antoine Semenyo.
While Arsenal have shown an interest in the in-form Bournemouth star, who has scored nine goals and supplied three assists in the Premier League this season, they have not acted on their curiosity.
Perhaps technical director Andrea Berta wants to head down a shrewder route, with Sky Sports confirming that Arsenal have been scouting Jean-Mattéo Bahoya ahead of the New Year.
Bahoya
The Eintracht Frankfurt forward is only 20 years old, but he's been identified as a potential superstar, with the completeness of skillset to become a major player in the Premier League.
The Bundesliga club are ready to play hardball, pricing the prospect at £71m.
Why Arsenal should sign Bahoya
Semenyo is riding the crest of a wave at the moment, but there's every reason to believe that Bahoya has the potential to far outstrip the 26-year-old Ghana international.
The Frenchman's natural physicality and technical quality have actually led analyst Spencer Mossman to describe him as playing "like a younger Saka", and that bodes well for his potential in the Premier League.
Bahoya
Startingly fast and with a tenacious work-rate that most young forwards simply don't boast, you can see why Bahoya is considered in the same breath as Arsenal's talisman, actually ranking among the top 13% of positional peers in the Bundesliga for successful take-ons and the top 4% for tackles and interceptions per 90, as per FBref.
A successful take-on is recorded when a player beats their opponent by directly carrying the ball past them while retaining possession.
The prolific output hasn't come yet, but he is electric, dynamic and invariably dangerous. Working under Arteta's wing will give rise to such sharpness.
Arsenal are all about the long game, and there is a far greater chance of maximising value by signing someone of Bahoya's ilk, rather than pushing for a star in Semenyo who has entered their prime without yet trying their hand at the highest level for a top team.
Given that Semenyo is a boyhood Arsenal fan, and sources such as The Athletic's David Ornstein have recently confirmed Arsenal's admiration, it's clear that the London club are holding fire for a reason unbeknownst to the masses.
saka
Could it be that they are getting ready to intensify their interest in Bahoya? The France U21 international is going from strength to strength in Germany, and signing him would align with the focus on landing up-and-coming talents.
Given his Saka- and Semenyo-esque qualities, it might just be the shrewd signing to ensure a continuation of this thrilling journey under Arteta's management.
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