Arsenal are pursuing a wonderkid midfielder likened to Pedri, as they secure the future of their engine room.
The Gunners sit top of the Premier League and have won every Champions League fixture thus far without conceding – but Arsenal arguably still have question marks over their creativity in the absence of Martin Odegaard and with their reliance on set pieces well-documented.
Arsenal chasing ‘affordable’ midfield starlet, with regular scouting trips
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is key to Arteta's midfield dynamics but beyond the Emirates Stadium skipper, the Gunners don't appear to have a like-for-like replacement.
Eberechi Eze has functioned as Arteta's no.10 of late, following spells in which Mikel Merino and Ethan Nwaneri have both played there – but each of them lack either the intensity off the ball or the natural rhythm that Odegaard offers in central midfield, with Eze a better fit on the left, Merino's best performances coming as a target man and Nwaneri's future potentially further forward, with Arteta even admitting than the Hale End graduate could be a false nine in the making.
Sport Witness have relayed an intriguing report from Informacion, a local newspaper in Elche, regarding Spain under-21 international, Rodrigo Mendoza.
Pedri has previously likened Mendoza to his own playing style, calling the youngster the player who most resembles him right now – and with Arsenal officials keeping a close eye on the midfielder, a €20 million release clause is described as “affordable”.
The Gunners face stiff competition, however: the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid are the biggest names in the picture, while Tuttosport in Italy say that Juventus are also among the chasing pack.
FourFourTwo understands that younger signings may well be a focus for the Gunners in the coming months, especially following the appointment of Maurizio Micheli, though midfield is one area that the club have plenty of options at present.
Along with Odegaard, Eze and Nwaneri as playmakers in the squad, Merino, Declan Rice, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard round off the midfield options, with Myles Lewis-Skelly and Kai Havertz both able to play in the centre of the park, despite being used predominantly elsewhere.
Arsenal's pursuit of Mendoza will depend entirely on whether Arteta and sporting director Andrea Berta view the 20-year-old as an unmissable opportunity: the Gunners have shown with their summer business that they are unafraid of giving current players plenty of competition for places if it means bringing in elite-level talent.
The other option for the Gunners would be to sign Mendoza with a view to developing him elsewhere – but given that it would take a large fee to secure a player whose pathway clashes with other talents being developed in the same position, this feels unlikely.
Mendoza is valued at €9m by Transfermarkt. Arsenal face Tottenham Hotspur after the international break when Premier League action resumes.
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