Arsenal were expected to tone down their summer business following the acquisition of Declan Rice, yet it seems Mikel Arteta cannot resist an opportunity in this market…
Who else is Arsenal signing?
Especially given there has been little reporting regarding their interest in Eintracht Frankfurt's Djibril Sow, and yet they are now seeking to hijack Lazio's move for the midfielder.
That is at least what is being suggested by Italian outlet CalcioMercato.it, who claim that the north London side are trying to aggressively enter the negotiations despite the Rome outfit having agreed a €15m (£13m) fee for his services.
Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…
Whilst it is not noted whether they will bid, this is a figure likely easy for the free-spending Gunners to match. Especially given he would mark a perfect replacement for Granit Xhaka, who left earlier in the window for a £21.4m sum that would exceed what they would have to conjure in this situation.
Is Djibril Sow good?
Having thrived in the Bundesliga since leaving his homeland in 2019, the 38-cap Swiss international is a vastly experienced 26-year-old who would add steel and firepower to Arteta's engine room.
These are exactly the kind of qualities that they will have lost with the departure of their old Swiss general, who left following a fine personal campaign that spearheaded their title charge.
The 30-year-old would record 14 goal contributions in the league, upholding the 7.05 average rating that made him Arsenal's eighth-best performer.
What made Xhaka even more useful was the fact he would also average 1.3 key passes and 0.9 tackles per game, suggesting there was little in the midfield he did not do, via Sofascore.
Arteta even sought to outline his importance to the team following the conclusion of the term:
"He’s been exceptional, a key part of the success of the team and I’m so happy that everybody is appreciating what he’s done."
Whilst it would take a monumental task to replace these figures, Sow boasts the skillset to do so with ease, considering he not only matches his physical profile but also has that touch of class that could soon make him an attacking threat too.
Last season in the German top flight, the former Young Boys titan, who stands at a physically imposing stature of 6-foot, recorded a 6.86 average rating, bolstered by his four goals, 86% pass accuracy, 0.5 key passes and 1.3 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
Whilst his creativity might have been lacking, his ability to arrive late and finish off chances remains a key asset. During the 2021/22 season too, he racked up nine goal contributions in all competitions, as if to emphasise his well-rounded offensive assets that would only improve when surrounded by such quality.
Journalist Sam Smith even took to Twitter to detail his surprise with Sow's talents:
"First time properly watching Djibril Sow in this first half & been impressed. Progressive on the ball and combative."
That desperation to push the ball forward could see him thrive at the Emirates too, especially beside Rice. After all, the England international recorded six goal contributions of his own most recently in the league, alongside one key pass and 2.1 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
The two could interchange roles with ease, both boasting the necessary skillset to screen a backline and push forward to score.
Perhaps a new-look midfield partnership could be the catalyst that finally returns the Premier League title to north London, with Sow's antics in emulating Xhaka a big factor in such success.
