Offer Ready: Arsenal Plot Late Move for £70m “Superstar” to UPGRADE on Eddie Nketiah
Arsenal have started their Premier League campaign this season on a high note, securing impressive consecutive victories against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Aston Villa.
Despite this strong start, with their next match set for Saturday lunchtime, the attention of many fans has shifted to the club’s transfer activities, which have so far been less eventful.
To date, Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori and Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino are the only new players officially added to the first team this summer. However, Edu Gaspar and his team have been active in facilitating several departures, including Eddie Nketiah’s reported £30m transfer to Crystal Palace.
Interestingly, Nketiah’s potential move to South London and the vacancy it would create in the squad might have prompted the club’s board to take action, as recent reports have linked Arsenal with a player who could be the ideal replacement.
According to a recent report by Football Transfers, Arsenal has shown strong interest in Brighton & Hove Albion’s young talent Evan Ferguson.
The report indicates that the Gunners are now preparing to make a move for the 19-year-old and ‘are ready to make an offer to Brighton’ for his acquisition.
However, Arsenal faces two major challenges in securing Ferguson: Brighton’s £70m asking price and competition from title rivals Manchester City.
Overall, while it could be an expensive and complex transfer, Ferguson’s immense potential makes him a target worth pursuing, particularly as he would represent a significant upgrade on Nketiah.
How Ferguson Compares to Nketiah
To clarify, given his age and the context of Nketiah’s potential transfer to Palace, Arsenal is unlikely to consider Ferguson as a starter for this season or even the next, irrespective of the transfer fee.
Although Ferguson would probably participate in numerous matches and have ample opportunities to demonstrate his skills, it seems improbable that Arteta would risk placing a teenager with limited first-team experience in a critical role, especially with a title at stake.
Nevertheless, the young “superstar,” as described by former professional Danny Murphy, might be an ideal candidate to eventually succeed the Gunners’ number 14 and serve as a valuable backup striker in the coming years while he continues to evolve into the world-class centre-forward many anticipate he will become.
Considering this, how does his performance over the last two seasons compare to the player he might replace?
It’s noteworthy that although he was somewhat less productive last season, he showed much greater effectiveness in the previous campaign. In total, he has recorded 16 goals and four assists across 61 appearances during this period, averaging a goal contribution every 3.05 games.
| Ferguson vs Nketiah | ||
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | Ferguson | Nketiah |
| Appearances | 25 | 39 |
| Goals | 10 | 9 |
| Assists | 3 | 2 |
| Goal Involvements per Match | 0.52 | 0.28 |
| 2023/24 | Ferguson | Nketiah |
| Appearances | 36 | 37 |
| Goals | 6 | 6 |
| Assists | 1 | 3 |
| Goal Involvements per Match | 0.19 | 0.24 |
| All Stats via Transfermarkt | ||
Compared to the player heading to Palace, who scored 15 goals and provided five assists in 76 appearances, Ferguson has shown better performance. His average, with a goal involvement every 3.8 games, is slightly lower.
Although it’s difficult to draw definitive conclusions from these statistics, it is promising to note that the young Irishman has already outperformed the Arsenal star in recent seasons. This is particularly impressive given that Ferguson plays for a weaker team and is significantly younger.
In conclusion, if Arteta aims to secure a backup striker who is currently better than Nketiah and has the potential to become a key player in the future, Ferguson would be a strong choice. As a result, Edu and his team should make every effort to finalize this deal.
In other Arsenal news, 107 Touches, 99% Passes Completed: Arsenal Star Was Unbelievable Against Aston Villa
