Step aside Martin Odegaard, Arsenal must complete transfer for attacking midfielder who is available for just £50m this summer

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Arsenal should be in the market for a creative midfielder this summer.

The Gunners have scored 17 fewer goals than Premier League winners Liverpool this season, and thus, Mikel Arteta needs an injection of attacking impetus in the middle of the park.

Martin Odegaard has struggled this campaign, and while the North Londoners are far from giving up on their captain, they need someone who can provide genuine cover and competition for him.

Arteta allowed Fabio Vieira and Emile Smith Rowe to depart in the summer without directly replacing them, and Odegaard has failed to deal with the immense creative burden that’s been placed on him.

Thus, Arsenal should dip into the market and solve this issue in the upcoming transfer window.

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Arsenal should sign Xavi Simons this summer

There are some interesting options on the market that Arsenal could explore, including the likes of Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze.

However, Gibbs-White has been tipped to replace Kevin De Bruyne at Manchester City, while Eze may not fit into a system at an elite level and will be 27 in June.

Instead, Arsenal should look abroad to Xavi Simons, who is potentially available for just £50 million, according to TBR Football.

Despite RB Leipzig enduring a difficult season, the Dutchman has remained productive, netting ten goals and providing eight assists across all competitions this term.

A creative midfielder who can play either as an advanced eight or out wide, Simons fits the profile of what Arsenal are looking for.

The 22-year-old can co-exist in the same squad as Odegaard, as he can play at the left eight, on the left-wing or take the Norwegian’s place in the team if the Arsenal skipper isn’t performing.

This is exactly what Arsenal want, rather than sourcing a direct replacement for Odegaard.

More of a ball carrier and dribbler than the 26-year-old, Simons would also add different qualities to the Gunners’ midfield.

Arsenal have been linked with Simons in the past, so it’s not far-fetched to suggest that there’s already interest in the player from the North London club.

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Xavi Simons’ statistics 2024/25

At 22, Simons is still pre-prime so can improve significantly and has the potential to develop into a superstar.

Given what he’s already produced in his short career, Arteta could definitely justify a £50 million outlay on the Netherlands international.

While his numbers have dipped somewhat this season, that’s a universal theme across the Leipzig squad, with the Red Bull club suffering a difficult campaign.

However, a benefit of Simons spending time in the Red Bull system is that he’s developed excellent pressing skills, which makes him very well suited to an Arteta team.

A ball-carrying, creative attacking midfielder or wide player who will contribute to goals regularly is exactly what Arsenal need, and Simons is that in a nutshell.