Arsenal are just one week away from the start of the new campaign, when they will meet Manchester United at Old Trafford to kick off their latest quest for the Premier League title.
Concerns have been heightened within the Gunners fanbase following a spate of pre-season results that have left plenty to be desired, with defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Villarreal.
The mood should have been lifted following the £64m acquisition of Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 97 goals in 102 matches over two seasons with the two-in-a-row Liga Portugal champions, but he has lacked the fluency and cutting edge that many have been hoping to see from the off.
Again, there is absolutely no reason to panic; this is only pre-season, after all. And while the north Londoners have made a series of signings to strengthen Mikel Arteta’s squad, one or two more creative additions may yet be made this month.
Arsenal eyeing more signings
Arsenal have been locked in a lengthy bid for Crystal Palace talisman Eberechi Eze, who “has his heart set on Arsenal”, according to reporter Ben Jacobs.
However, negotiations have become protracted, and there are suggestions that Spurs are keen on hijacking the move, for they need to replace the injured James Maddison.
With Leandro Trossard mooted to be leaving the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal may yet sign an out-and-out left winger too. Real Madrid’s Rodrygo has been a persistent link this summer, though this would be a tough deal to complete, with Los Blancos valuing the versatile forward in excess of £78m.
However, Arsenal aren’t just looking at strictly creative players, with a potential opportunity arising for one of the Premier League’s most talented central midfielders.
Arsenal enter race for PL midfielder
As per Caught Offside, Arsenal have joined the swollen pack that are pursuing Brighton & Hove Albion this summer, with Manchester United leading the race following direct talks with the player’s entourage.
Baleba, 21, is valued at £104m by the Seagulls, who don’t want to sell, and is considered one of English football’s most exciting up-and-coming talents.
A dynamic, box-to-box player, Baleba is earning renown for his steely physicality, but also his technical qualities, which could see him emulate an existing superstar within Arteta’s Arsenal fold.
Why Arsenal should sign Carlos Baleba
Brighton signed Baleba from Lille for around £23m in June 2023 as a direct replacement for the outbound Moises Caicedo, who would soon join Chelsea for a British-record fee.
Across the past two seasons, Brighton’s Cameroon-born talent has become an increasingly considerable presence, featuring 77 times across all competitions.
Arsenal signed Rice from West Ham United for £105m in June 2023 after the England international had led David Moyes’ side toward the Conference League title, so clearly one of the most talented midfielders in the world.
That hefty figure, a club record, has been vindicated over the past two years. Though Rice has yet to taste silverware as a Gunner, he has been a staple throughout a period of sustained pressure at the highest level of football, and was named on the Men’s Ballon d’Or shortlist earlier this week.
Matches (starts)
34 (31)
35 (33)
Goals
3
4
Assists
1
7
Touches*
54.0
57.6
Pass completion
88%
90%
Big chances created
3
16
Key passes*
0.6
1.7
Dribbles*
1.0
0.4
Ball recoveries*
6.66
9.18
Tackles + interceptions*
3.7
2.2
Duels (won)*
5.9 (55%)
3.4 (51%)
As you can see, Baleba is performing at a remarkable level, and you could even argue he is on par with Rice when the Arsenal sensation played out his final year as an Iron, albeit less of a creative force. With that in mind, you can only imagine the heights Baleba could reach when under Arteta’s tutelage.
The Albion man also ranks among the top 12% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, which further underscores his ball-carrying athleticism.
Powerful forward strides are identifiable through Rice’s skill set, and Baleba’s emphasis on defensive work could create a neat sense of fluency between the two, similar yet different.
Baleba, who’s been described as “phenomenal” by one analyst, has established himself and then some at a Premier League rung below Arsenal on the ladder, but showcasing remarkable talent all the same.
His remarkable blend of just about every midfield skill required for a roaming player of his type highlights just how impressive he is, and indeed, how he could benefit Arteta’s Arsenal in transition.
Just like Rice, Baleba has managed to play himself into £100m-valued conversations, and that’s no easy feat. The power and pace and gusto that he plays his football at makes a firm comment on how he could improve Arteta’s project, reinforcing the engine room but also adding duel to propel the creative emphasis forward too.
He has, after all, shown that he has a ferocious ball-striking element to his game, and that he is endowed with the physicality to supercharge Arsenal’s high-octane team besides.
Baleba might be a work in progress, but he’s already proven that he has what it takes to be a bona fide success in the Premier League, and if Arsenal manage to pull it off, they would not just be replicating their Rice blinder, but signing a dream partner for the Three Lions superstar, allowing the duo to dominate for many years to come.
Better signing than Rodrygo: Arsenal plot move for £45m "superstar"
With the Premier League right around the corner, Arsenal could be set to make a better signing than Rodrygo, and it’s not Eze…
1 ByJack Salveson Holmes