Mikel Arteta has enjoyed signing players for Arsenal in recent years whose careers have stalled, and Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho is the latest who could fit this profile.
The Spaniard has added the likes of Kai Havertz and Martin Odegaard to his ranks, both of whom had found themselves lost after being thrust into the limelight at a young age.
Resurrecting both of their careers, Arteta seemingly loves taking on the task of rediscovering talented players, and he could do the same again this summer.
Garnacho has been linked with a move to Arsenal, and the Argentine has arguably suffered a blip in his development over the last year at Old Trafford.
However, there is another player who fits this mould available on the market that the Gunners should be looking at.
Arsenal should sign Darwin Nunez on one condition
Arsenal were linked with Darwin Nunez last summer, but ultimately didn’t opt to pursue the Uruguayan.
However, they may get the opportunity to land the striker for a cut-price fee this summer, with Liverpool eager to sell the forward.
The Merseysiders signed Nunez for £64 million back in 2022, after he’d netted 34 goals across all competitions for Benfica in the 2021/22 season.
Enjoying 15 and 18 goal campaigns in his first two years at Anfield, Nunez has been criticised for his lack of composure and conviction in front of goal, and endured a poor 2024/25 on the periphery of Arne Slot’s squad.
Despite this, the raw physical attributes that he possesses make him an exciting proposition if a manager is able to hone his skillset into a more accomplished player in the final third.
Quick and strong, Nunez is a chaos merchant, and could provide an element of unpredictability to an often sterile Arsenal attack.
If Liverpool are willing to sell to Arsenal for less than £40 million, the 25-year-old would be a great piece to add to Arteta’s squad.
While the Gunners should still sign another striker with more of a track record of ruthless finishing, Nunez would be an exciting option to bring off the bench late in games to run at fatigued backlines, and would be well worth investing in for a fee around £30-£35 million.
Darwin Nunez’s 2023/24 statistics show how good he can be
Boasting exceptional movement and an ability to find himself in dangerous positions frequently, if Nunez can mature in front of goal, his output would reach elite levels.
He suffered in Slot’s more controlled system, but in Klopp’s heavy-metal football, his data reflects this.
| Darwin Nunez’s Premier League Statistics 2023/24 | |
| Appearances | 36 |
| Goals | 11 |
| Assists | 8 |
| Shots per 90 | 4.7 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.72 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.45 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.2 |
Taking almost five shots per 90 minutes, and accumulating 0.72 expected goals, Nunez was a master of being in the right positions in the 2023/24 season, due to his outstanding movement.
Players tend to improve with their finishing as they get older and gain more experience, which could give Arteta hope that he can revive Nunez’s career and make him an unstoppable force at Arsenal.
Receive a digest of our best Arsenal content each week direct to your mailbox
