To say Arsenal are in form at the moment would be an understatement.
Mikel Arteta’s side are flying and, following their 3-1 win over Bayern Munich in the Champions League, are starting to get the recognition they deserve.
Moreover, while there is still a long way to go before anything is settled, the Gunners could go a long way in cementing their grip on the Premier League title race by beating Chelsea on Sunday.
However, it will be a tough game, and on top of Estevao, Arsenal may have to be on their toes regarding a certain Cole Palmer, who’s previously been compared to another international star the Gunners have been linked with.
Arsenal team news
Arsenal’s recent run of results and performances have been hugely impressive, and are made only more so by the fact that the team have been plagued by injuries.
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For example, the team tore Tottenham Hotspur to pieces without a recognised number nine on the pitch, or bench for that matter, and without Gabriel Mageheles, who has arguably been their player of the season so far.
Fortunately, Noni Madueke, Gabriel Martinelli and Martin Odegaard are all back in contention again, with all three coming off the bench against Bayern.
Moreover, during his pre-match press conference, Arteta revealed that there is “a potential chance” that Leandro Trossard could be available for the game this weekend.
He was a little less clear when it came to Gabriel Jesus, as he confirmed that the striker took part in a behind-closed-doors friendly, but said “We have to see” when it comes to his availability for Sunday.
Finally, while it seems unlikely, the boss didn’t rule out the possibility of Viktor Gyokeres and Kai Havertz making it into the squad, saying, “We have another day tomorrow, so let’s see how everybody is tomorrow.”
So, it’s mostly good news on the injury front for the Gunners, but the Blues have also received a big boost, with Enzo Maresca confirming that Palmer is now available to start the game.
The Englishman is a world-class player, and based on reports from earlier this month, Arsenal could potentially sign someone who has been compared to him in the past.
The Palmer-like star Arsenal could sign
Arsenal have already been linked with a host of seriously exciting players over the last month or so, but arguably the most exciting and the one who has been compared to Palmer is Michael Olise.
Now, it should be said that the two internationals, of course, have their differences, but according to FBref, the Englishman was the third-most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Frenchman in the 23/24 Premier League season.
To gain a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached, you can take a look at the underlying numbers in which the pair ranked so closely.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.74
0.76
Key Passes
2.54
2.47
Passes into the Penalty Area
2.39
2.37
Crosses into the Penalty Area
0.21
0.17
Live Passes
42.6
44.6
Shot-Creating Actions
5.79
5.57
Goal-Creating Actions
0.99
0.89
These metrics included things like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, key and live passes, shot and goal-creating actions, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.
In other words, both players were attacking monsters, both from a goalscoring perspective and a creative one.
Now, on top of the undeniable statistical similarities between them, they can also both be described as entertainers; they are players who’ll produce the output, but will also get the fans on their feet with a piece of skill and trickery.
Moreover, the pair of them are quite nonchalant in the way they go about their business on and off the pitch, making the former Crystal Palace star someone who’d probably fit in quite well at the Emirates.
Ultimately, while the comparisons to the Chelsea star are great, the Gunners should be looking to sign the Bayern Munich star regardless, as in just 74 appearances for the German giants, he has already produced 62 goal involvements, which more than justifies Serge Gnabry’s claim that the 23-year-old is “one of the best players in the world.”
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