Arsenal will kick off the upcoming season with one sole aim: finally ending their two-decade Premier League title drought.
Mikel Arteta's side have come painfully close to doing so for two seasons on the bounce now, and while Manchester City are likely to be as good as ever in 2024/25, there is a feeling around this Gunners team that it could be third time's lucky.
However, to ensure that's the case, Edu Gaspar and Co must provide the Spaniard with the right players to reinforce his squad this summer, and based on recent reports, it looks like they will.
For example, one of the latest names touted for a move to the Emirates is a vastly experienced international who could seriously challenge Gabriel Martinelli for a place in the team, either pushing him to get better or outright replacing him.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from the Italian publication TuttoJuve, Arsenal have been in talks with the agent of Federico Chiesa ahead of a potential move this summer.
However, the report claims that, in addition to the Gunners, the winger's agent has been in discussions with Tottenham Hotspur, Chelsea, and Manchester United as he looks for the perfect transfer for his client.
The report does not mention a potential price, but stories from late last month revealed that Juventus would accept offers in the region of €30m for the Italian international, which converts to about £25m.
In all, while several teams could be interested in him, Chiesa's quality and reasonable price tag make him an incredibly appealing option this summer. Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to bring him to N5 – his potential rivalry with Martinelli could be good for both.
How Chiesa compares to Martinelli
So, the first thing to say is that while Chiesa can play on either the right or left wing, it seems incredibly unlikely that he would come in and seriously challenge Bukayo Saka for a regular place in the team, as the Hale End superstar is arguably the best player at the club and clearly the talisman of this Arsenal project.
Therefore, if the Juventus ace were to come to the Emirates with regular minutes in mind, he'd find them out on the left, which would put him up against a few players, including Martinelli. So, how do the pair compare?
Well, when we look at their pure output from last season, it's a closely fought affair, but the Euro 2020 winner just about comes out on top thanks to his goal and assists average.
For example, he scored ten goals and provided three assists in 37 appearances for the Old Lady, which equates to a reasonable average of a goal involvement every 2.84 games.
In comparison, the former Ituano gem scored eight goals and provided five assists to give him a tally of 13 goal involvements as well, but he did this in 44 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.3 games.
Okay, so how about their underlying numbers? Is it just as closely contested when we look at what's going on under the hood? Interestingly, while it is still relatively close, it's the former Fiorentina star who once again just about comes out on top.
For example, while the Gunners ace does better in metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive carries, passing accuracy, goal-creating actions and successful take-ons per 90, that's about it.
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.49
0.56
Progressive Passes
2.87
2.70
Progressive Carries
4.55
5.68
Shots
2.85
2.40
Shots on Target
0.97
0.86
Passing Accuracy
69.9%
77.7%
Key Passes
2.21
1.98
Passes into the Penalty Area
1.84
1.40
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.74
0.29
Shot-Creating Actions
4.79
3.92
Goal-Creating Actions
0.37
0.54
Successful Take-Ons
1.43
2.16
In comparison, the "world-class" Italian, as described by journalist Zach Lowy, comes out ahead in statistics like progressive passes, shots and shots on target, key passes, passes and crosses into the penalty area and shot-creating actions, all per 90.
Ultimately, Martinelli and Chiesa are incredibly talented wingers. Therefore, having both in the squad would elevate the left wing and mean that depending on which one started a game, the other could come off the bench and make a serious impact. So, while the competition could be fierce, signing the Juventus ace for £25m this summer is a no-brainer.
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