Mikel Arteta is close to agreeing his first January signing for Arsenal, with a move for Ukrainian sensation Mykhaylo Mudryk reportedly edging ever nearer.
The winger is top of the 40-year-old’s priority list, although there could be another one or two arrivals during the January transfer window, with the north London club aiming to add another midfielder and centre-forward to their squad.
Eddie Nketiah is the Gunners’ only senior striker, and although he has scored twice in the top flight since the resumption of the Premier League season, Arteta needs another option to take the pressure off the 23-year-old.
Arsenal have been linked with a move for Borussia Dortmund youngster Youssoufa Moukoko according to 90min although they face competition from Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester United.
His contract expires in the summer, and with the German club refusing to meet his demands, the 18-year-old could leave Dortmund for free at the end of the season, which has duly alerted Arsenal.
Moukoko has been in excellent form in 2022/23, scoring six goals in 14 Bundesliga appearances. He only turned 18 in November, which suggests that there is still a lot to come from the Germany striker.
Should Arsenal move for Moukoko?
YES!
NO!
Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has sung his praises, describing him as a “natural born” finisher. According to FBref, meanwhile, the Dortmund star is the eighth-most similar player to Barcelona and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski; and considering that the former Bayern Munich hitman has netted 606 goals for club and country in his career, it certainly isn’t a bad comparison to have.
This season, the two strikers have registered similar statistics with regard to shots on target percentage (57.7% to 53.7%, Moukoko first), goal-creating actions (five to eight), dribble success rate (35.5% to 50%), and assists (three to four).
Even though Moukoko is only just beginning his career, his early promise has already turned him into one of Europe’s finest strikers, as he ranks in the top 25% across the top five leagues on the continent for non-penalty goals, assists, total shots, pass completion rate and tackles, and he will likely only get even better.
Arsenal may not have the finished article if they manage to lure Moukoko to London, but they will get one of the brightest talents on the continent, one who is statistically quite similar to Lewandowski. Arteta should be all over a potential move for the teenager, who could bolster the Gunners’ forward options for years to come.
