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Au Revoir Alex?
An in-depth look into who could replace Lacazette at the Emirates (a thread).
An in-depth look into who could replace Lacazette at the Emirates (a thread).
French talisman Alexandre Lacazette has been a crucial part of our team since he arrived from Lyon in 2017. Lacazette has scored 48 goals and 25 assists in the 127 games he has played for the Gunners.
Lacazette has scored in so many big games for this club, leaving me with no doubt that he has been a great servant during his time here. Despite this, there are numerous reports linking him with a move away from the Emirates this summer.
Atleti, Barcelona, Inter, Leipzig, Lyon, and PSG all have reportedly made contact with Lacazette’s agents and are interested in signing the Frenchman. After a disappointing season, Arteta and Edu seem to be working on a rebuild and as a result Lacazette could leave the N5 soon.
Because of this, I thought it would be good to examine who could be signed as a replacement. Today we will look at two options; a world-class player who is a dream signing but also a player that is a solid, inexpensive option. Here is the N5E scouting report.
Though he might leave, Lacazette’s qualities are admired by Arteta. He is strong with the ball, quick and nimble with his dribbling, and can find a killer pass. Let’s not forget his long-range shooting: Laca has had several screamers to get us Gooners up out of our seats.
For replacements, I looked for center forwards that possessed similar traits to Lacazette. In my opinion, Arteta will continue to play Auba on the wing so I will not include any wingers in this thread. Here’s a great video that explains why.
Odsonne Edouard, Celtic FC.
Current Market Value: £16.5 Million
2 Years Left On Contract
Current Market Value: £16.5 Million
2 Years Left On Contract
Since joining Celtic in 2018, Edouard has 64 goals and 32 assists in 130 appearances. The 22-year-old has several Premier League teams bidding for his signature but none of them are members of the “big six”, meaning that Arsenal would be a major frontrunner if they make an offer.
Edouard would be perfect for Arteta’s style of play. He does not spend all of the match inside the box but instead drops short and holds up play. By playing deeper, he can link up with his teammates while also taking on defenders, shooting, and putting in crosses from far.
Signing Edouard would help boost our physical presence in the final third. His strength, when combined with his anticipation, speed, and ball control, makes him ready for the Premier League, and ready for Arsenal.
Lacazette gets a lot of stick for his inability to capitalize on reasonable scoring opportunities. In the SPFL, Edouard’s goals and assists were higher than his xG and xA (expected G&A). This proves that if Edouard gets proper service, he will take his chances.
Odsonne does need to improve on his work ethic off the ball. This shouldn’t be too big of an obstacle, however. He has a reputation for being eager to learn and with Arteta as his coach, Edouard could easily become a great use to Arteta’s style of play.
In conclusion, Edouard would be a good signing.He has great potential and can fit Arteta’s style of play, whether it is the counter-attack or high-press.With only two years left on his contract and no big teams vying for his signature, Edouard should be considered if Laca leaves.
Paulo Dybala, Juventus F.C
Current Market Value: £67 Million
Two Years Left On Contract
Current Market Value: £67 Million
Two Years Left On Contract
Paulo Dybala would be a dream signing for Arsenal. You may think that the signing would be very expensive, but Arsenal could possibly afford him if the clubs agree a swap deal with Laca (in Arsenal’s current financial situation, we may need player sales as well).
The Serie A MVP almost moved to Spurs last year but the deal fell through on deadline day. If Dybala chooses not to stay in Turin, Arsenal should make an offer for him.
Dybala had 11 goals and 10 assists while playing as a center forward, but also contributed to 7 goals as a right-winger. His versatility would be beneficial to Arsenal, as it would allow Arteta to change the front line when fatigue and injuries start to become a problem.
Dybala and Laca's strengths are quite similar. They both hold up the ball, have strong passing and dribbling, and can shoot from distance. Dybala does struggle to dominate in the air unlike Laca, but this is not a major concern as Arsenal tend to play from the back.
Dybala is brilliant at passing through the lines and with fast wingers such as Aubameyang and Pepe playing alongside him, Dybala could create an incredible amount of chances for our forwards. Have a look at his goals and assists this season for Juventus!
In short, Dybala is a world-class talent that Arsenal should not hesitate to buy. Negotiations will be challenging, but if Juventus are receptive to a potential swap deal, he could be an amazing purchase who would instantly improve our team.
I hope you enjoyed this thread! Follow @N5Edits (I’ll follow back) for future threads on youth players and transfer targets! Let me know what you think!
Here are my acknowledgments, thank you for viewing the very first N5E scouting report!
