Atlético Madrid forward João Félix arrived in the Spanish capital with a weight of expectations, as Los Rojiblancos spent nearly 130 million euros to sign him from Benfica as Antoine Griezmann’s replacement.
Well all these years later, Félix has yet to replace Griezmann, who has circled back to Atléti after failing to co-exist with another left-footed right forward, Lionel Messi.
While Griezmann is important to the club, Félix has been on the sidelines and inconsistent, even involved in some drama with legendary manager Diego Simeone.
Though he is undeniably a talented player, teams may be leery of acquiring Félix on the transfer market because of his up-and-down displays and apparent issues with Simeone.
Arsenal have been linked to Félix, but manager Mikel Arteta may not be interested in someone who has trouble buying in to a strong manager’s philosophy.
Félix could succeed in Arteta’s system, but why run the risk if the player is not in good form and potentially causing issues at his current club?
Here are five alternatives for Arteta and Arsenal that could be safer options for the Gunners to acquire in the January 2023 transfer window as they look to buoy their hopes of winning the Premier League.
Juventus ST Dušan Vlahović
Dušan Vlahović is a dream target for Arsenal. While he chose the biggest club in Italy, Juventus, over the Gunners, things haven’t gone swimmingly in Turin.
Juve, once again, barely qualified for the Champions League last season. And now, they face potentially severe punishment for a capital gains scandal.
Though it is unclear if the Serbian superstar wants to leave Juventus, the possibility is now present. Arsenal would be among the favorites.
Juve are no longer above them, as Arsenal are the ones in the driver’s seat to win a title, whereas Juve are far behind Napoli in Serie A.
Vlahović is a well-rounded striker, but he is most well-known for his goal-scoring. He had more of those with Fiorentina, but even on a stagnant Juve side, Vlahović has shown a great eye for goal.
A true striker may not be a priority for Arsenal with Eddie Nketiah showing promise and Gabriel Jesus set to return from his injury at some point, but Vlahović may be too good to pass up on.
Eintracht Frankfurt ST Randal Kolo Muani
Randal Kolo Muani is another striker option, as that is his primary position. The Eintracht Frankfurt star has been a revelation in his first season with the Bundesliga side, helping the team reach the Champions League knockouts.
With nine assists in the Bundesliga, Kolo Muani is one of the best creative strikers in all of European football. That could lead to him forming an intriguing one-two punch with Jesus.
Kolo Muani can also play out wide, either on the left or the right. As a scorer, the left side would make more sense, though both flanks are currently owned by world-class youngsters Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka.
Still, having more options never hurt, and Kolo Muani’s ability to play anywhere up front is a huge plus.
The problem is that Eintracht know how valuable he is; they want 60 million euros and don’t seem interested in selling such an important player in January.
Shakhtar Donetsk LW Mykhailo Mudryk
No player has been linked to Arsenal more frequently than Shakhtar Donetsk’s Mykhailo Mudryk.
Ever since the 2020/21 season when Shakhtar shocked Real Madrid not once but twice in the Champions League group stage, Mudryk has been whispered among top clubs as an option.
The electrifying left winger is excellent in transition, and while questions remain about his ability to succeed against stiffer defenses, those are largely overcome by his skill and technical quality.
Arsenal seem to want another wide option and someone who can create shooting chances for himself and others. Mudryk can be that guy.
Only 21 years old, Mudryk has been better than João Félix and has shown a lot more fight and character.
This is a player who averaged 1.7 tackles per game in the UEFA Nations League for Ukraine, in addition to lighting it up offensively in the Champions League for his historic club.
Barcelona FW Ferran Torres
While Fabrizio Romano has shut down the idea of Ferran Torres leaving Barcelona, the young Spanish forward is worth Arsenal paying attention to as a possible option in case things change.
Barça’s transfer strategy can be volatile, and while they are focused on offloading Memphis Depay this winter with a potential Raphinha sale in the cards next summer, Ferran’s status could change pending his role.
The former Valencia and Manchester City player only started one match in the Champions League and has made more appearances off the bench (7) than in the starting lineup (6) in LaLiga.
If he wants to join a team with more cohesion, Arsenal could be an option, though it would be hard to see him getting the same opportunities as he is at Barcelona.
Torres can play any position up front. He can be a second striker, right winger, attacking midfielder, left winger, or center-forward.
The 22-year-old works best when behind a striker, playing off someone else. He and Jesus could also be a nice one-two punch.
Villarreal RW Samuel Chukwueze
Villarreal’s Samuel Chukwueze is an electrifying left-footed right winger who could be an intriguing option on the transfer market for Arsenal as a backup to Saka.
The Nigerian international is only 23, and while he hasn’t stood out in LaLiga this season, he did have two goals in the Conference League group stage.
Chukwueze has been linked to a handful of Premier League clubs, with Liverpool and Arsenal among them.
Though he won’t come cheap and isn’t without his own consistency issues, Chukwueze has been better than João Félix in LaLiga over the past couple of seasons, offering just as much upside at a still-lower cost than the Portuguese second striker.
Furthermore, Chukwueze is a better ball-carrier and more willing defender, which Arteta would surely appreciate over the more nonchalant Atlético Madrid man.
SOURCE: thetrivelaeffect.com
