Arsenal, under Unai Emery, have emerged as a rejuvenated force despite a couple of early defeats in the season against Manchester City and Chelsea. They have maintained a winning streak ever since and are being lauded for some shrewd business they made in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners, however, are keeping close tabs on teenager Jadon Sancho, the former Manchester City academy sensation who has emerged as a potential world-beater since completing a £8m move to Borussia Dortmund. However, Sancho will cost in the region of a staggering £100m fee as reported by several outlets this week.
Although Manchester City have a stronghold in the deal having inserted a buyback clause while offloading the Three Lions starlet to Dortmund, the supporters must be hopeful of finding a way out. Their secret weapon could be the presence of Sven Mislintat, Arsenal’s head of recruitment, who had a commanding 10-year stint in North Rhine-Westphalia before switching to Emirates.
Six of Sancho’s seven Bundesliga appearances have been as a substitute, but he has found the net once and assisted six more times in 215 minutes of senior football. A return to his homeland in near future is a possibility and the Gunners must not hesitate to break the bank to acquire the prodigy even if they are jam-packed in the attacking third.
Veteran Mesut Ozil along with Danny Welbeck, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have made a strong start this term whereas youngster Alex Iwobi has shown massive improvement while featuring down the wings. 18-year-old Emile Smith Rowe is an exciting prospect as well. However, Sancho, his compatriot in England’s incredible 2017 U17 World Cup triumph has flourished more in Germany with regular senior minutes since completing a summer move last year.
His pace and strong dribbling skills will help him to fit in Emery’s attacking brand of football which demands link-up play and artistry with creative movements and goal-bound opportunities. He still has ample time to mature as a player and become the NxGn superstar of the Three Lions. Although the price-tag seems a bit higher than current market valuation, it might even increase within the next couple of years if the attacker keeps on continuing his majestic form week in week out.
Sancho will straight slot in down the wing as the Gunners do not have any outright wide attacker right now in their ranks except Iwobi and his presence would allow the likes of Mkhitaryan and Ozil to operate more centrally while exhibiting their playmaking attributes. All in all, a player on whom Emery could and should break the bank for in the present circumstances.
