While Arsenalsearch for Premier League it’s pretty uncertain right now, one thing’s for sure; The Gunners need to strengthen their squad this January.
If Bukayo SakaA hamstring injury was not enough, then more lost points against Brighton and Ethan Nwaneri’s muscle problem which will keep him out for ‘a few weeks’ should be.
However, fans will have to remain patient because the winter period is notoriously difficult for business.
Clubs don’t want to lose their star players because of the limited time they have to replace them and as a result, you are likely to have to pay more than the ratio if you want your man and he is not available.
However, not bringing in any new players would be inexcusable with Arsenal sitting six points behind leaders Liverpool after having played one game more.
Arsenal’s plans for the January transfer window
We’re now a week into the January window and we haven’t seen much activity from the Arsenal side.
A potential move for Wolves striker Matheus Cunha has been praised but the latest about it is Brazilian he could put pen to paper on a new deal in Molineux.
Arsenal may therefore have to get creative, and reports suggest they are bid rejected for Botafogo striker Igor Jesus.
So who else have they been linked to? Well, they could take Jude Bellingham’s brother, Job Bellingham.
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That’s according to Football Transfers who report this week that ‘Arsenal set theirs‘ on the 19-year-old
The club’s scouts are closely monitoring his progress and Bellingham is now thought to be ‘a top priority for manager Mikel Arteta’.
According to talkSPORT, the midfielder is expected to cost around £20m. Any move could lead to a renegotiation of the deal Aaron Ramsey at the Emirates stadium back in 2008.
How Jobe Bellingham compares to Aaron Ramsey
In the summer of 2008, the young Welshman captured the imagination of many in English football.
Ramsey was making waves with Cardiff City in the Championship and it wasn’t long before Manchester United came calling. Infamously, they even announced that they had reached an agreement on the club’s official website.
Fortunately for those who were convinced of Arsenal, he rejected the Red Devils and he ended up signing for the Gunners in a £5 million deal.
262 appearances in the Premier League and two goals in the FA Cup final later, and the midfielder has cemented himself as a fan favorite at the Emirates. It’s just a shame he left.
Well, with the young star also excelling in England’s second division, a deal to bring Bellingham to north London would surely evoke memories of Ramsey’s arrival.
They’re not too different, with the Sunderland ace not far behind when it comes to goal and assist rates in the EFL during the embryonic stages of his career so far.
Ramsey joined Arsenal as an exciting attacking midfielder and Bellingham is certainly similar in that respect. Described as a “game-breaking midfielder” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, highlights the teenager’s ‘powerful ball handling’ and notes that he ‘likes to run into the box without the ball and finish cutbacks’.
That trait was something the Welshman certainly perfected during his time in red and white, notoriously scoring even 16 goals in the 2013/14 season when Arsenal won the FA Cup.
Bellingham has four league goals and three assists this term, so he’s not at that stage yet, but his ability to create magic in the final third doesn’t go unnoticed.
However, a further look at the stats tells us why we should all be excited about England’s potential.
|
Bellingham vs Championship Midfielders |
|
|---|---|
|
Metric |
Percentile ranking in the 2nd rank |
|
Objectives |
86% |
|
Assists |
80% |
|
Progressive mounts |
52% |
|
Progressive additions |
61% |
|
Key passages |
75% |
|
Ball recovery |
90% |
|
Aerial duels obtained |
96% |
|
Statistics via FBRef. (The higher the % the better) |
|
Compared to positionally similar players in the Championship this term, he ranks in the top 9% of players for combined goals and assists while sitting in the top 10% for rebounds, highlighting the qualities Ramsey has at his disposal.
Indeed, the Welsh international was not only competent in attack, but like Bellingham he worked hard to win the ball back and make sure he did his job from a defensive point of view.
The Sunderland sensation is far from the finished article, but as project signings go, you’ll find few better than the talented teenager.
