GOOD DEAL: Arsenal could sign a “special” Kudus alternative in swoop for £35m-rated “magician” – opinion

Arsenal seemingly retain a host of transfer targets on their list despite already enjoying a blistering start to the summer, with one name they could now return to…

Who will Arsenal sign this summer?

Although the recent links have them interested in a move for Ajax’s Mohammed Kudus, he is far from the first wide man to be touted with an Emirates switch.

Given Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber and Kai Havertz’s arrivals, it is the one area that remains largely untouched by the versatility of these additions.

Therefore, in an effort to secure more readymade talent, rather than the 22-year-old who admittedly boasts a lofty ceiling, perhaps Mikel Arteta could seek to reignite his interest in Barcelona forward Raphinha.

Whilst the Brazilian moved from Leeds United last summer in a £55m move, Football Transfers only value the 26-year-old at €41m (£35m). Perhaps a coup could be on the cards, that actually gets them a better player for a smaller fee.

How many Premier League goals has Raphinha scored?

Having enjoyed a fine spell at Elland Road as if to outline his ability to thrive within English football, the trickster has since proven himself integral in Xavi’s La Liga-winning outfit to emphasise his pedigree further.

Already the addition of Raphinha, who now has experience claiming a title within one of Europe’s top-five leagues, would mark a higher calibre of talent and experience over the youthful Kudus.

Featuring 50 times across all competitions last season, the Brazil international scored ten times and assisted a further 12, outlining how an increased level of teammate would see his numbers rise too.

This is outlined through his 14 goal contributions during his final Premier League season, in which the Whites narrowly avoided the drop on the final day of the season. He would depart Yorkshire with 17 goals for the club, having been branded a “magician” by his teammate at the time Dan James.

His arrival would represent an alternative to Kudus, as a couple of left-footed right-wingers with trickery and work rate in abundance.

Therefore, despite his 18 goals and seven assists across all competitions in the Netherlands, the quality of that nation compared to Spain is way beneath.

Especially given that the latter is ranked by FIFA as with the second-best coefficient in the world, whilst the Dutch only sit in sixth.

To further emphasise Raphinha’s quality, pundit Noel Whelan even claimed back in 2021: “Raphinha is fantastic on the ball, great on the eye and can produce moments of magic that other players simply can’t.

“But what I really like is his work out of possession. He is not afraid to really work hard, track back and double-up with the full-back. It is an attribute you sometimes don’t get with technically talented players. They do one side of it but not the other. That is not the case with Raphinha though.

“When I watch him he is relentless. He works his socks off.”

To add that kind of defensive steel, paired with such superb quality on the ball, it seems like Arteta could be set to add another player to perfectly align with his philosophy to his squad. His talent and experience over Kudus could prove instrumental in their efforts to once again push for the title.