Mikel Arteta has built a squad full to bursting with world-class talent at Arsenal.
However, when it comes to picking the club’s most important player, their talisman, it’s impossible to ignore Bukayo Saka.
The Hale End superstar is still just 24years old and has already amassed a staggering tally of 76 goals and 71 assists in 277 games for the club.
So, fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal to an up-and-coming talent who has been compared to Saka.
Arsenal target the next Saka
There is over a month to go until the transfer window actually opens, but that hasn’t stopped Arsenal from being linked with a plethora of exciting talents.
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Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson, for example, has been touted for a £120m move to the Emirates, as has Crystal Palace’s equally exciting Adam Wharton.
However, as talented as the two midfielders are, neither one can really be compared to Saka, unlike Jean-Mattéo Bahoya.
Yes, according to a report from Germany, Arsenal are one of a few teams interested in the Eintracht Frankfurt gem.
However, on top of beating the competition, the Gunners would have to stump up a fee of around €80m, which is about £71m, to get their man.
That is a lot of money to spend on a young talent, but given Bahoya’s ability and potential, it might well be worth it for Arsenal, especially as he’s been compared to Saka.
Why Arsenal should sign Bahoya
So, first and foremost, the comparison between Bahoya and Arsenal’s talismanic number seven comes from analyst Spencer Mossman, who described him as being “like a younger Bukayo Saka.”
That might sound like a bold thing to say, because it is, but it does make sense.
For example, on top of being an “excellent wide area creator” who is “on a continuous upward trajectory”, he’s more than happy to track back and “do the dirty work.”
That ability to influence proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch, while also willing to do the less glamorous things, was one of the reasons Saka quickly became an essential part of the first team.
Another reason the young Frenchman is such an exciting prospect is that, in the words of Mossman, “he’s able to get quality crosses away with both feet.”
This means that he’d not only be able to cover for the Hale Ender on the right but also play on the left, in turn pushing the likes of Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli to step up their games.
Finally, despite still being just 20 years old, Mossman has highlighted the winger’s physicality as a key strength, claiming that he’s like an “Olympic-level athlete.”
Tackles (Att 3rd)
0.67
Top 1%
% of Dribblers Tackled
61.8%
Top 2%
Passes Blocked
1.54
Top 2%
Tackles
2.36
Top 3%
Dribblers Tackled
1.08
Top 3%
Blocks
1.64
Top 4%
Tkl+Int
2.77
Top 6%
% of Aerials Won
54.1%
Top 6%
Goals/Shot on Target
0.50
Top 7%
Tackles (Def 3rd)
0.82
Top 8%
Successful Take-On %
52.1%
Top 8%
Aerials Won
1.03
Top 15%
Finally, on top of passing the eye test, the former Angers gem has also got some brilliant underlying numbers to his name this season.
According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers in Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 4% for blocks, the top 7% for goals per shot on target, the top 2% for successful take-on percentage and more, all per 90.
Ultimately, even though it wouldn’t be a cheap transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do what they can to sign Bahoya, as he could be another Saka in the making.
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