Arsenal are proving fixture by fixture that their successes of last season were not a fluke, as Mikel Arteta’s side remain unbeaten in the Premier League from their opening nine fixtures.
The Spaniard led his young squad to go toe-to-toe with treble winners Manchester City last term, missing out on their first league title since 2004 by five points, despite leading the pack for the majority of the campaign.
The Gunners’ shortcomings in claiming the title came down to their lack of squad depth compared to City – as club legend Tony Adams noted – as injuries struck key players and their replacements were simply not up to the task of painting over the cracks.
Arteta solved such issues to a degree in the summer transfer window, welcoming four new faces to the Emirates in preparation for the 2023/24 season, with the most notable arrival being the club-record £105m capture of Declan Rice.
While Rice and the fellow new faces have settled into life in north London, reports have suggested that the Gunners could be on the prowl for additional reinforcements in the January window, with one formidable striker listed as a potential target.
Arsenal transfer targets for January
From Gabriel Jesus’ ongoing injury woes, to Eddie Nketiah’s lack of conviction in front of goal – with just two league goals to his name this term – Arsenal have been linked to some notable forwards in the media ahead of the upcoming transfer window.
Juventus hitman Dusan Vlahovic has been rumoured to be eyed by the Gunners by the media in Italy, who claim that the north Londoners are hoping to make a January swoop for the prolific 23-year-old.
Closer to home, suspended Brentford striker Ivan Toney is a recurring link to the Emirates, and with his ban from football due to betting breaches set to end in January, sources expect that Arsenal are interested in his Premier League-approved services.
While the two are notorious goalscorers in Europe, another name has recently been mentioned as a talent that is said to have captured the eye of the Gunners, as 22-year-old Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez has been linked as a player of interest.
News in Spain, relayed by The Hard Tackle, reports that while Atletico Madrid are desperate to sign the Mexican sharpshooter, they are joined by Premier League sides Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham as those keen on signing him.
Standing at 6 foot tall, Gimenez could be the additional physical presence that could bolster Arteta’s options going forward, with the high-scoring striker the ideal fit should the north Londoners wish to tussle for his signature.
Santiago Gimenez’s record at Feyenoord is outstanding
After joining the Dutch side from his boyhood club Cruz Azul last summer, Gimenez has thrived since making the move to the Netherlands.
The season prior to his exit from Mexico, the youngster netted nine goals in 43 appearances for his former club, showing an encouraging streak in front of goal, but nothing on the numbers he’s actually delivered at Feyenoord since.
During the 2022/23 campaign, Gimenez scored 28 goals in a total of 50 appearances representing both Cruz Azul and Feyenoord, highlighting just how prolific he could be when given a chance to thrive in Europe.
His form in his debut season with the Dutch outfit was a test run for the heights he is hitting so far this term, where he currently stands as the top scorer in Europe with a sensational 15 goals in 11 appearances in all competitions.
In the Eredivisie, the Mexico international has netted 13 in only nine appearances, as well as recording three assists, matching his assists total for the entire of last season to highlight his progression.
It’s clear to see just why Arsenal, and every club, would be honoured to acquire the 22-year-old’s signature, as he’s set the bar astoundingly high so far in Europe for others to attempt to chase him.
Santiago Gimenez’s market value is rising
With good form comes recognition, and with recognition comes the opportunity for money to be made for his current club.
In the report from Spain that links Arsenal to the forward, it’s said that Feyenoord currently value their talisman at €40m (£35m), a price tag that looks almost certain to rise if his form is to continue through the winter.
While the Mexican’s actual expected transfer value (xTV) is actually far lower, as documented by Football Transfers, what is most interesting is the consistent rise of the forward’s xTV, as highlighted in the graph below.
Feyenoord struck gold by capturing Gimenez for a fee of around €6m (£5m), which with reference to his xTV at the time was a slight overpayment, as his xTV sat at only €3.9m (£) in the July of 2022.
A rise was notable almost instantly, as in the October of 2022 his xTV reached €7.1m (£), where it has since rocketed a year down the line to €17.5m (£), showing a rise of over €10m to accompany his sensational scoring record in Europe.
Santiago Gimenez could offer a lot to Arsenal
For Arsenal, spending out on a certified goalscorer could change the entire trajectory of Arteta’s hopes for his side, in a move that could speed up the process of firing the Gunners towards major silverware.
As highlighted by Manchester City’s treble win last term, Pep Guardiola was forced to wait to get his hands on the Champions League trophy again as manager of the Cityzens however one signing changed it all to instant effect.
Signing Erling Haaland last summer prevailed to be the missing piece to Guardiola’s puzzle at the Etihad, as the Norwegian scored a phenomenal 52 goals in 53 appearances during his debut campaign in Manchester.
Arteta could replicate the success seen at his former employer by signing a forward as prolific as Gimenez, who has actually outscored Haaland so far in the 2023/24 campaign by four goals – with the Norwegian netting 11 times in total.
At 22-years-old, the room is there for the Mexican to develop deeper into his game, despite his “insane” scoring record over the past 15 months, as praised by U23 scout Antonio Mango.
Santiago Gimenez vs Arsenal's current strikers in 2023/24 league campaigns
Santiago Gimenez
Eddie Nketiah
Gabriel Jesus
Apps
9
9
7
Goals
13
2
1
Assists
3
0
0
Goal conversion %
34%
10%
10%
Shots on target per game
2.2
0.4
0.4
Key passes per game
1.4
0.6
0.6
Via Sofascore
While the signing of Jesus last season made a significant difference to the energy and quality in the front line, the Brazilian lacks a clinical instinct, as reinforced by him never hitting a 15 goal Premier League tally during his career in England, while Nketiah has never scored more than five top-flight goals in a single season.
As portrayed in the table above, Gimenez could dramatically bolster Arteta’s options as a striker who is a far higher performer than those currently at the club, in a move that could fire the Gunners closer to their wishes of claiming their first Premier League title in almost 20 years.