Step aside Nico Williams, Arsenal must sign 18-goal Ballon d’Or nominee who Andrea Berta has added to transfer shortlist

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Arsenal will be in the market for a dynamic left-winger in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Gunners are eager to upgrade on Gabriel Martinelli, while Leandro Trossard’s future in N5 is uncertain, with Saudi clubs interested in signing the Belgian.

It’s well-documented that Nico Williams is Arsenal’s primary target, although the Spaniard is keen on a switch to Barcelona to link-up with compatriot Lamine Yamal.

Williams has flattered to deceive for Athletic Club in recent matches, prompting the North Londoners to explore other options, as the feeling grows within the Emirates hierarchy that the 22-year-old may not be ready to make an impact on the highest level.

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Arsenal interested in signing Ademola Lookman

Rafael Leao has been mooted as a potential Williams alternative, while Leroy Sane was also on Arsenal’s radar before the German decided to remain at Bayern Munich.

These links suggest that the Gunners want to add more of an experienced option to their ranks, someone who can slot straight into the side and is ready to make an immediate impact.

This approach explains the latest reports linking Arsenal to Atalanta winger Ademola Lookman.

Lookman was linked to Arsenal last summer, but Mikel Arteta ultimately opted to sign Raheem Sterling on a season-long loan from Chelsea.

Now, however, with Atalanta’s asking price potentially a lot lower than it had been, Florian Plettenberg reports that Andrea Berta has added the Nigerian to his winger shortlist.

Lookman is eager to leave the Bergamo club this summer and is open to a return to the Premier League.

He has two years left on his contract and Atalanta are likely to look to cash in now as it’s potentially the final opportunity they’ll get to garner a significant fee for the player.

Arsenal should sign Ademola Lookman this summer

While Williams has the potential to develop into something special, he’s far from that level right now.

Arsenal need a winger who can come in and play at a very high level on a consistent basis next season – they need a win-now signing rather than a project.

Nominated for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Lookman has performed exceptionally now for three seasons in Serie A, and is ready for the step up to a better team.

Netting 18 goals and providing six assists in all competitions thus far this campaign, the 27-year-old is on course for another productive year and has shown that he’s both a goal-threat and an elite creator.

As shown by the data above, Lookman provides significantly more value than Williams, offering more shots, more creative passing and ultimately more surface-level output.

While Williams may be a more prolific dribbler, he’s not yet particularly effective at converting this dribbling into end product.

For the Arsenal analytics team, it should be a no-brainer, particularly if the prospective fees are in the same ballpark.