Any one of Griezmann, Alexis Sanchez, or Pedro would be a fantastic acquisition for Arsenal. All three are exactly the sort of injection the club need, to solve their pace, finishing, and injury woes. All are approaching different stages of their careers. Griezmann is 23, one of the hottest talents currently around, he’s got the potential to be better than Sanchez, or Pedro, but he is short of the level these other players currently work at. Sanchez is 25, and perhaps seems the best option for Arsenal to consider. He’s approaching his peak soon, there’s room for even more improvement, and he has an enormous amount of talent. Whilst Pedro, on the other hand, offers the experience and sheer quality to come in and perform without any risk.
Griezmann is a 23-year-old winger from Real Sociedad, where he’s racked up an impressive 131 appearances for the Spanish outfit, showing the high regard they have for their starlet and how impressive he’s been since a young age. The appearances alone show that even at a young, developing age, he’s shown he has the head to handle pressure and perform when relied upon. Put this together was last season’s performance, seeing him score 16 goals and 3 assists (the only player to hit these sort of numbers outside of the top three), then you can see why he’s one of the hottest prospects in football. Also, courtsey of ‘Who Scored’ Griezmann attempted 111 shots, which puts him only behind Messi and Ronaldo. What’s more impressive is that he’s doing this for an unflattering Real Sociedad side, which only managed 62 goals come the end of the season. What’s the one thing Arsenal missed last season? Goals and pace. Well, Griezmann’s already shown this to great effect in his best season for Sociedad. He’s an electric, goal-scoring winger, in the same mould as Theo Walcott. Not only has he come to light in La Liga, he’s took his chance with France in emphatic fashion, scoring three in his first four starts, filling the boots of star player, Frank Ribery. Ribery will unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on where you stand, miss the World Cup, which could leave Griezmann to fill a much bigger role than he’d have expected. And if he does have a fruitful time in Brazil, his value will skyrocket. Griezmann has a very, very bright future ahead of him; Arsenal would be wise to ensure it’s in red and white.
Next, is Alexis Sanchez, who despite failing to cement a permanent place at Barcelona, has still had a terrific season, scoring 19 and assisting 11, which is staggering for a player not considered a starter. It’d be understandable if he was nearing the end of his best years, but Sanchez is far from that, he’s 25, with his peak years still ahead of him, he’s an incredible talent and would improve any side. Sanchez is a powerful forward, capable of playing anywhere along the front three, he’s stocky, rather than nippy, which makes him a nightmare to play against when he’s running at full pelt. The only player of that mould in Arsenal’s current squad is Chamberlain, who, while incredibly exciting, is still maturing and somewhat injury prone. Sanchez would likely fill the left-flank for Arsenal, with Theo on the right. And with Ozil supplying the bullets, it could be a devastating combination of pace and power. He’s also a very skilful player, which is an area Arsenal lack. For a player that has all the attributes you could want in a wide forward, it makes you wonder why Barcelona want rid. Sanchez is world-class. There’s no getting away from that. Arsenal would have massive name on their hands if they were to land him.
Finally, there’s Barcelona’s Pedro. He’s had similar season to Sanchez, scoring 16 and assisting 8. Pedro is simply an efficient footballer and would give Arsenal the clinical edge they have lacked in recent seasons. Pedro is already playing during his ‘peak’ years, and Arsenal would know exactly what they get signing him. Along with a clinical edge, which he excels at, Pedro has a lot of pedigree and would be bringing a wealth of experience to Arsenal, following two champions leagues, and four titles with Barcelona; it’s also worth noting that he scored the opening goal in the champions league final against United. He’s continuously performed at all levels of football, and is a regular for Spain. There’s no doubt about his quality, Pedro is a superb player.
I’d be happy with any of the players mentioned, as each would greatly improve Arsenal’s forward options. Griezmann is the high goal-scoring winger that Arsenal lack in Walcott’s absence, not to mention his frightening pace. Sanchez perhaps offers Arsenal the best balance between pace, skill, and power, and has the ability to create something out of nothing and offer the squad something different. And Pedro is simply a classy player, who’s done it all, and would bring a much-needed efficiency to Arsenal’s forward line. They all have their merits; they all tick the boxes. The safest option would be Pedro, as he’s shown the head to perform in the big games, which is another weakness of Arsenal in recent seasons. But if Arsenal were to go down the more adventurous, and potentially more rewarding route, then it’s between Sanchez and Griezmann. I’d be very happy with Sanchez; he’s world class and devastating at times. However, despite the experience and proven quality of Pedro, and Sanchez, the more exciting and riskier Griezmann provides the most appeal. His stats are hugely impressive for a struggling team, and outside of the top three, he’s La Liga’s best player by some distance. He has a good couple of years on the other two, so in terms of potential he could reach to the very top. With the World Cup only days away, a lot of eyes will be on Griezmann; and Arsene Wenger absolutely has to be one of them.