Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)
Arsenal star Riccardo Calafiori has been imperious so far this season. The left-back has two assists and a goal to his name already and, when he gets going, is nothing short of unstoppable.
It's a shame that the Gunners do not have the same impetus at right-back. Ben White remains a solid option but is injury prone and does not hold the same stature in the XI as the Italian.
Meanwhile, Jurrien Timber has his own fitness problems and has fallen down the pecking order. The feeling is that the long-term future of that position is up for grabs - Arsenal could do worse than poaching Manchester City star Rico Lewis.
Man City star Rico Lewis impresses in Champions League
rico lewis
Lewis was one of the stars of the show as Man City romped to a 5-1 win over AEK in the Champions League on Tuesday night. It was a rare start for the England international, and he put in a scintillating performance to combine effortlessly with Phil Foden on that flank - the winger bagging a hat-trick.
Speaking about the full-back at full time, former Liverpool ace Steve McManaman told TNT Sports: "He had a really good game. We haven’t seen him as much as he’d want to be on the pitch. When he got the opportunity to play, he really stepped up and was confident making runs forward, getting the assist."
The way in which Lewis carried attacks, cut inside and outside, and worked with Foden had strong similarities to what Calafiori does so well. It's not unreasonable to think of him in an Arsenal shirt.
Lewis only signed a new five-year deal at the Etihad Stadium last September but given the current fracas hanging over Man City, all players will no doubt be thinking of potential moves away from the club. The defender is just 21 years old and will be at the height of his powers - there's no way he will be happy with a potential drop into the EFL.
Given the rivalry at the top of the table, it's rare that Arsenal and Man City do business, but not unheard of. Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko both made the move from the Etihad to the Emirates and succeeded.
In any case, it would be a head-turning move. It's fair to say that Lewis hasn't endeared himself to Gunners supporters in the past. In October 2023 the defender goaded Arsenal fans by pointing to the Premier League winner's crest on his shirt during a meeting between the two sides.
Arsenal fans would soon forget the past if Lewis enjoyed the best years of his career at the Emirates. He'd be a perfect fit too. When commenting on what he loves in a full-back, Arteta previously said: “They have, first of all, the football brain, the intelligence, the courage, the quality and the adaptability to occupy different spaces, both attacking and defending.”
And what was Guardiola's opinion of Lewis? The ex Man City boss said: “To find a player like him playing in the pockets, how he has to move in holding midfield, full-back coming inside moving in the spaces - he is one of the best I ever trained by far.”
Graeme Souness ahead of Scotland v England
Graeme Souness ahead of Scotland v England