Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Arsenal watch £40m-rated AC Milan star: Is he the best option?

Unai Emery appears to want to sign a wide player this summer, following numerous links to a number of players in that area of the pitch.

Denis Suarez signed on loan in January, but the Gunners do not have to buy the Spaniard in the summer, if they choose not to. Emery is yet to start Suarez, which suggests he may be having second thoughts about making a move permanent.

Instead the club may turn to a former Premier League player, Suso (valued at £40m). Also Spanish, Suso spent much of his youth career at Liverpool but failed to make the step up to the first team. In the last few years, however, he has improved significantly at AC Milan.

Now aged 25-years-old, Suso is excelling playing as a right winger for Milan. He is a creative hub for his team and has scored 5 and assisted 8 in the Serie A this season.

Arsenal would certainly benefit from a player with such high levels of creativity in wide areas.

As he has matured, Suso has become more and more involved in games and this is highlighted in his statistics this season; averaging 46.2 passes, 2.8 key passes, 2.9 shots and 2 dribbles per 90 this season.

The news of Arsenal’s interest originates from Gazzetta dello Sport who are quoted in Football Italia. They do say that Arsenal scouts have been watching Suso, but that he is not the clubs first choice target.

Roma’s Cengiz Under and Lille attacker Nicolas Pepe may be the clubs favoured targets in wide areas. The duo have been strongly linked with the Gunners on multiple occasions.

Under and Pepe are younger and perhaps more exciting prospects, but don’t underestimate the quality Suso has. If both Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil were to leave this summer, then someone like Suso would be very welcome as his ability on the ball and to retain possession is greater than both Pepe and Under’s.

Time will tell where Arsenal’s money goes in the summer, but it does appear that the club want a young winger to complement the likes of Aubameyang and Lacazette in attack.

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