As rumours about some truly elite talent that could help them surpass Manchester City have started to circulate, Arsenal may be on the verge of making one of the signings of the summer.

Joshua Kimmich is departing from Bayern Munich.
The most recent suggestion comes from the Spanish publication Marca, who contend that Mikel Arteta might lure Joshua Kimmich to north London in order to capitalise on his hazy future.

The report attempts to describe Barcelona’s interest as they look to replace the recently departed Sergio Busquets, but Premier League intrigue is saved for the article’s conclusion.

His FootballTransfers valuation of €67.9m (£59m) is expected to spark interest in the imposing midfield maestro, with the Gunners reportedly showing interest alongside Liverpool.

How talented is Josh Kimmich?
The 28-year-old powerhouse joined Bayern Munich in 2015 and quickly made a name for himself as one of the team’s top players. The German international’s true creative potential has been unlocked by switching from right-back to central midfield, following the legendary Philipp Lahm’s career trajectory.

This is demonstrated by the fact that his average rating in the Bundesliga last season was a lofty 7.73. He contributed to 11 goals, had a pass completion rate of 90%, 2.4 tackles, 2.7 key passes, and 1.2 interceptions per game, according to Sofascore, making him the star performer on a team full of superstars.

Few people in his position in all of Europe are arguably as exceptional in every way, so Julian Nagelsmann’s assertions about the £322k-per-week average make sense:

He excels at both right-back and midfield, which is fantastic.

If he were to move to England this summer under Arteta’s direction, it would perfectly match Granit Xhaka’s recent departure.

The £120k-per-week gem transformed into a true offensive threat during the course of the season as a box-to-box monster, completing his redemption arc and elevating him to the status of one of Arsenal’s key players.

Although he sought an exit due to his desire for a long-term contract, his move to Bayer Leverkusen was confirmed earlier this month.

Although we have already spent over £200 million this summer, it will be difficult to replace his 14 league goals contributed, and none of the three marquee names we brought in are expected to fill that position with such firepower.

Thus, a sizable opening has occurred that Kimmich could easily fill.

Not only do his statistics outperform the majority of Xhaka’s from his most recent victory, but the deep-lying playmaker has also had a distinguished career filled with top honours. He has eight Bundesliga championships, three German cups, and one Champions League in his trophy cabinet.

This kind of experience would be priceless in helping them advance in their pursuit of the Premier League championship, which they so narrowly missed last year.

In order to compare his performance to that of his potential replacement, the 30-year-old Swiss international’s 7.05 average rating, 86% pass accuracy, 1.3 key passes, and 0.9 key passes per game, as reported by Sofascore, pale in comparison.

When rumours of Xhaka’s impending departure first surfaced, fans may have been concerned, but if Kimmich is chosen to replace him, they may be less concerned than initially thought.

The preseason is a fascinating time for summer acquisitions, particularly the more costly ones, as their performances are scrutinised for the first time, and fans eagerly anticipate a first error to seize upon.

Preseason should not be a series of games where newcomers are disqualified as duds. Therefore, you can appreciate the confusion when some opposing supporters quickly wrote off Arsenal’s £65 million addition Kai Havertz when he underperformed in a skills challenge.

Yes, the German was dubbed a flop by some following a very embarrassing try at the MLS volley challenge in which he failed to net even a single shot. However, a day later, and when it mattered somewhat more, the former Chelsea player had little trouble scoring and quelling criticism.

Havertz couldn’t help but take a shot at the naysayers on Twitter after proving everyone wrong.

In response to criticism, Kai Havertz

Havertz didn’t waste any time responding to those who had initially criticised him following the skills challenge. He sent out a short, two-word tweet that read “Have that” — a play on his name — along with a target and a yawn emoji, undoubtedly alluding to the criticism he had received online following his struggles in the skills challenge.

The following message was sent by him, and it was more sombre: “But in all seriousness.. Really amazing feeling to get my first Arsenal goal!

“We are so grateful to the fans for their incredible support this week,”

Both Havertz and Mikel Arteta will feel some satisfaction that the forward is off to a good start in an Arsenal jersey as the Premier League season approaches quickly.

The German will be looking to reach the heights that many thought he’d achieve at Chelsea before faltering and never really getting going at Stamford Bridge as he failed to reach double figures in the league in any of his three seasons with the Blues.

With Kai Havertz, how will Arsenal set up?

Even Arteta, after the Gunners’ 5-0 preseason victory over the MLS All-Stars, admitted that Havertz was difficult to predict, saying via 90 minutes that “he gives us something very different with his quality and size as well, when you have to beat the press for example and use him as a target man.”

“So, we’ll see. He’s currently playing in the attacking midfield position, but I’m sure that as the season and individual games progress, we’ll have the option to play him in different positions,” said the coach.

Keeping an eye on it will undoubtedly be intriguing. A potentially deadly midfield partnership between the German and Martin Odegaard is possible. Or, he can be assigned to play as a striker with Gabriel Jesus.

In either case, Arteta has a versatile player on his team who can contribute to success. Although there may have been some initial apprehensions, Havertz shown against the MLS All-Stars that he is more than capable of contributing to the North London team.

Arsenal will be preparing for the next Premier League season with the hope of improving upon their title-winning season from the previous one.

After losing to Manchester City last season, the Gunners will undoubtedly try to compete this season and cause more surprises along the way.

In addition, they will be keeping an eye on the Champions League, where they will once again face off against the top clubs in the world, when they return to European competition.

French players have a long history of being successfully transferred to Arsenal, and Arsene Wenger’s successes laid the groundwork for the team’s current standing. Mikel Arteta may now be in a position to continue that legendary tradition should he revive an old bond.

What is the wealth of Olivier Giroud?

The most well-known player they brought over from the continent is unquestionably Thierry Henry, but Olivier Giroud is a more recent star who made an impact after joining the Emirates.

The youngster had raced through Ligue 1 with Montpellier, scoring 21 goals and throwing out 12 assists as they won the most unlikely of titles. A move to north London held enormous potential for him.

The 36-year-old’s spell with the Gunners may still be viewed as a success given that he would go on to score 105 goals in only 253 games, even though he would only win a few FA Cups and Community Shields during that time.

The strong striker made the transfer with ease, and although though many fans were disappointed by his move to Chelsea, a substantial portion of the public still has great memories of the stylish Frenchman. This is particularly accurate in light of the fact that his Transfermarkt worth rose during his tenure there, reaching a high of €27 million (£23 million) in 2017. It has since fallen to just €4 million (£3 million), reflecting his old age and dwindling influence.

The linkages that suggest sporting director Edu Gaspar might repeat such a lesson with Elye Wahi will likely have supporters scrambling to complete such a deal, despite the fact that the proposed amount of €40 million (£34 million) is somewhat exorbitant.

Elye Wahi’s calibre, perhaps?

The 20-year-old genius is just 6 feet tall, whereas the AC Milan giant is a towering 6 feet 4 inches, so they don’t exactly match up physically, but because both of their professional lives have barely started, it is difficult to ignore parallels.

Both were successful while playing for Montpellier, and should Wahi decide to switch teams this summer, both had deals in place to move to the Emirates after having outstanding years as goal scorers.

The youngster increased his ten goals from the previous season to 19 league goals and six further assists just last season.

A former director of the Caen academy, Francis de Taddeo, tried to explain his achievements and the bright career he is likely to have despite the fact that such opulent shape was guaranteed to draw attention:

He is a player that dribbles with a range of skills and is strong, athletic, quick, and only he knows what he will do next.

Like Giroud did, he has the physicality and lightning-fast speed to present serious obstacles for centre backs and cause serious problems for the opposition.

The towering finisher was never very fast, but he had a certain air of refinement that set him apart from other gruff nines of the era. De Taddeo said that he easily adjusted to English football and that Wahi would do the same.

Wenger’s praise for his star attacker at the time in 2017 is still memorable today:

“I eventually allowed him in since I had other strikers, and even though he must play, I don’t want him to leave. When he finally decided to stay, it was one of the finest days I’d had in a while. I am aware of how important he is to the team as a whole as well as just as a player (he is a fantastic player). I was relieved that he decided to stay. When Giroud is at the top of his game, he is at his best.

It would be obvious that Wahi would be considered another transfer masterclass with Edu at its centre if he were to achieve the same success as Giroud by taking the same path.

According to reports, Arsenal has reignited their interest in Ousmane Diomande of Sporting Lisbon.

According to the Portuguese publication Record, the Gunners have contacted the Lions regarding their defence.

‘Some major teams in Europe’ have reportedly been closely monitoring the 19-year-old’s development.

A ‘tempting offer’ for Diomande may come this summer from one of those elite teams, in fact.

Only Arsenal is mentioned by Record in their story, indicating that they are really interested in him.

He won’t be cheap, though, and the Gunners might have been priced out of a move.

Sporting allegedly won’t agree to a deal for less than his €80 million (£69 million) release clause.

The player is being sought after by both.

It’s interesting to note that Diomande may not have cost Arsenal as much as they currently do to acquire him.

The Gunners were interested in the defender when he was listed on Midtjylland’s books, according to journalist Bruno Andrade.

Diomande was then a loan player with Portuguese second-tier team Mafra.

According to reports, the Danish club was adamant about their €10 million (£7 million) valuation.

Diomande was reportedly considered by Arsenal for acquisition with a loan to Sporting.

However, that possibility was “no longer” the case, per Andrade’s tweet on January 21.

For the teenage centre back loaned to Mafra, “the English and Portuguese are now working on different fronts,” he wrote.

Andrade then responded to a follower who inquired about the nature of these many fronts. Both are attempting to acquire the player, he declared.

His loan at Mafra was terminated at the end of the January transfer window when Sporting hired him on a long-term basis.

If the aforementioned allegations are accurate, Arsenal will undoubtedly regret not making a stronger bid for Diomande when his price was under £10 million.

Even so, the Gunners had a successful transfer window, and it’s possible that he didn’t play as much as he is now at Sporting.

Diomande joining Arsenal this summer looks doubtful, but we should monitor his progress nonetheless. He is definitely moving up, that much is clear.

Early this morning, Jurrien Timber made his first-ever Arsenal appearance against the MLS All-Stars, and he appears to have impressed William Saliba, Declan Rice, and Martin Odegaard.

With a strong performance, the Gunners completely destroyed Wayne Rooney’s team. Gabriel Jesus, Leandro Trossard, Jorginho, Gabriel Martinelli, and Kai Havertz all scored for Arsenal in their five goals without a response.

But Timber, a substitute, turned in one of his best performances in the second half.

Responses to Jurrien Timber’s Arsenal debut from Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice

The difficulties Arsenal encountered last season as a result of the injuries to William Saliba and Takehiro Tomiyasu led them to the conclusion that they needed a versatile defender in this window.

Jurrien Timber was quickly identified as a key target because Mikel Arteta and Edu were not going to let that happen again in the upcoming campaign.

The talented Dutchman was acquired by the Gunners for £34 million (BBC) last week, and depending on where you live, he got a chance to play with his new teammates against the MLS All-Stars early this morning or late last night.

Timber was simply superb. Despite being signed on as a right-back, he was allowed the freedom to express himself in the centre of the field, and he was excellent.

On the pitch, Oleksandr Zinchenko of Arsenal almost appeared to be a new player.

Like all Arsenal supporters, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba, and Declan Rice were awestruck by Timber’s first performance in the illustrious red and white.

When responding to Timber’s Instagram post, Odegaard wrote “Baller,” and Saliba added: “Top!”

With a few fire emojis, Declan Rice responded.

With Timber, Arsenal has discovered a true superstar.

The Dutchman excelled for Ajax during his tenure there, and Manchester United and Liverpool were previously strongly linked to him. However, when Timber learned of Arteta’s interest, it was an easy choice for him because Arsenal had chosen the right moment to make their move.

The 22-year-old has the versatility to play right back, centre half, and defensive midfield. According to his performance today, he might be able to play higher up in the middle of the park as well, depending on the situation.

He is a rare player, and we are confident that Arsenal supporters will enjoy watching him play.

Mikel Arteta’s interest in a new tempting option has undoubtedly piqued Arsenal’s desire to make a significant purchase once more.

Arsenal is bringing in who this summer?
The most recent comes from the Portuguese publication Record (via Sport Witness), which claims that the Gunners will likely make an offer for Sporting CP giant Ousmane Diomande soon.

While they had noted that his €80 million (£69 million) release clause remained the obstacle to entry with regard to such a deal, this idea has since changed to suggest that, despite the numerous European clubs pursuing the center-back, a ‘tempting offer’ will be made. Juventus has also made a push for his signature in addition to the north London team.

The Portuguese club might be tempted to let their teenage defensive stalwart leave for less than their initial demands in response to the proposed offer, which could arrive soon. The only team mentioned in the most recent report is Arteta’s team.

Ousmane Diomande, who is he?
In 2020, Diomande relocated from his native Ivory Coast to join FC Midtjylland. He quickly gained recognition after coming up through the club’s youth academy. The Lions swooped after a brief loan to Mafra, a Liga Portugal 2 participant.

They enticed the titan, who is now 19 years old, and he has only grown stronger since then.

Despite his raw physicality, the 6 foot 3 teenager has since established himself as one of Europe’s most iconic ball-playing defenders, shining with the ball at his feet.

The traits that have given him such a bright future are evident to all, despite the fact that he only appeared 13 times in the Primeira Liga last season. In light of the fact that it was his first season in the Portuguese top division, according to Sofascore, his 6.88 average rating decreased to 1.7 tackles and 1.8 clearances per game.

Although good, this is not what has caused his price tag to soar to such enticing levels.

According to FBref, the imperious ace ranks in the top 1% of centre backs in Europe for passes attempted per 90, passes completed per 90, passes that progress over time per 90, and passes that progress over time per 90 carries.

It was expected that scout Jacek Kulig would be so effusive in his praise of the star, as he noted:

“Players with such superior ball-playing and pure defending skills are uncommon to see. Although there could be some tactical improvements, I have no doubt that this youngster will play for some of the world’s top teams. elite talent’s telltale signs.

He has the physical tools to continue dominating for some time to come thanks to his enormous frame, which is often a good teacher for defensive excellence and anticipation.

But in the current state of football, the ability and swagger to forge chances from deep while strolling out of defence is a quality that is so prized.

Particularly in light of the ethos Arteta has developed at the Emirates, with Jurrien Timber standing out as the ideal representative of that ethos.

In fact, the Dutch international placed in the top 1% for each of the aforementioned categories that make the Sporting youngster so coveted when measured against the same group as Diomande.

This dynamic duo would easily support a system that changes with each new season, whether they were paired together at centre back or with one at full back.

A partnership that lasts for the next ten years and aids in the implementation of a possession-dominant system that one day might dethrone Manchester City is possible with the help of a 22-year-old with such experience punching balls out from the back and a teenage titan who has experienced a meteoric rise to the top.