Arsenal cult hero Santi Cazorla has never been replaced – but a Portuguese wonderkid could be the solution
(Image credit: Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
Arsenal have been linked with a bid to add more creativity to their midfield with a move for Benfica wonderkid Joao Neves – who has previously been of reported interest to Manchester United.
Arsenal fans’ ears are likely to prick up at any comparison to Santi Cazorla, who pulled the strings to great effect at the Emirates during his spell at the club a decade ago and whose influence has never quite been successfully replaced.
Joao Neves has been scouted by the Gunners (Image credit: Getty Images)
Football FanCast have dug into the stats and drawn a compelling comparison between Neves and Cazorla – adding to the work of analyst Ben Mattinson, who wrote in October, “Neves reads the game well and has good timing of tackles. The type of tackles where he wins the ball, turns with it whilst he’s on the floor, gets up [and] dribbles away with it.
“Very Santi Cazorla-esque. Win the ball & retain it then carry it past many opponents.”
90min reported in November that Neves had been watched by a fleet of Premier League scouts as he starred in Benfica’s 2-1 win over Sporting, with representatives from both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal all said to be watching on.
That seems to be as far as the story goes for now, but it seems like one to keep an eye on.
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Steven Chicken has been working as a football writer since 2009, taking in stints with Football365 and the Huddersfield Examiner. Steven still covers Huddersfield Town home and away for his own publication, WeAreTerriers.com. Steven is a two-time nominee for Regional Journalist of the Year at the prestigious British Sports Journalism Awards, making the shortlist in 2020 and 2023.
