Why Moussa Dembele could be an excellent signing for Arsenal

According to French outlet Le10 Sport (h/t Metro), Arsenal have been linked with a move for Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, who is widely regarded as one of the most devastating centre-forwards in the French top-flight. 

As per the report, the Gunners are preparing to cash in on either Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette in January or next summer as a part of their rebuilding job under newly-appointed manager Mikael Arteta, and Dembele has been identified as a potential alternative.  

Aubameyang, who has scored 13 goals in all competitions for Arsenal so far this term, is out of contract at the Emirates until 2021, and while the Gunners will try to persuade him to stay, the Gabonese international is desperate to join a club capable of competing for major silverware. (h/t Metro)

Lacazette, on the other hand, is also weighing up his future in North London after largely playing second-fiddle to Aubameyang in recent times while several other big names in the dressing room, including Granit Xhaka, are also unsure whether to extend their stay. (h/t Metro)

Meanwhile, Dembele, who plundered 51 goals in 94 appearances for Celtic, has established himself as one of the most feared attackers in Ligue 1 since completing a move to Lyon from Parkhead in the summer of 2018. 

The 23-year-old has racked up 29 goals in 62 appearances for Lyon across all competitions and had been heavily linked with a move to Man United this past summer, whilst Chelsea have also held a long-standing interest in the Frenchman. (h/t Metro)

Now, as the story goes, Arsenal have emerged as the frontrunners in the race to sign Dembele in January or next year as they look to cash in on one of their star strikers.

Former manager Unai Emery struggled to accommodate both Lacazette and Aubameyang together in his playing eleven and Arteta might have to sort out that problem which is becoming a nagging issue for the club. 

The choice will be really difficult if Arsenal are to wield the axe on either of their two star men up top, given that Aubameyang and Lacazette offer contrasting qualities to each other. However, Aubameyang has been the more prolific of the two when it comes to scoring goals, which might just put Lacazette’s position under a bit of risk. 

To put things into perspective, Moussa Dembele has made significant strides towards fulfilling his potential as a striker since moving to Lyon and Arsenal, who are presumably set to work under a long-term strategy with Arteta at the helm of affairs, have every reason to look at him as a potential target. 

The 23-year-old still has a lot of room for development and he looks like an exciting player in the right age bracket for Arsenal, who are very much a club in transition at the moment. 

Despite the obvious differences between Ligue 1 and the Premier League, both in terms of quality and intensity, there have been signs to suggest that Dembele has the raw materials to make the step up to a more competitive league in the near future, and at 23, the time might just be right for him to make a return to the English shores.

Verdict

Interestingly, Dembele is not a complete stranger when it comes to the rough-and-tough nature of English football, having made his Premier League debut with Fulham as a teenager during the 2013-14 campaign. In fact, the Frenchman enjoyed a 15-goal season in the Championship before completing a move north of the border to Celtic. 

Dembele has since progressed by leaps and bounds and he certainly looks better equipped now to make a big impact in the Premier League than he was five years ago. 

Eddie Nketiah has been tipped for a big future at Arsenal but he is still very much a work in progress, and Dembele would be an ideal option for a number of reasons if Aubameyang or Lacazette departs. 

As per whoscored, the 23-year-old averages 2.9 aerial duels per game while also boasting of a decent shot accuracy percentage of 47.2, having managed to hit the target with 17 out his attempted 36 shots in Ligue 1 so far this season. 

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Those numbers are only going to get better with time as Dembele continues to progress and Arsenal could have a top-quality striker on their hands if the Frenchman manages to acclimatize to the Premier League in the years to come.

That said, Arsenal completing a move to Moussa Dembele could set them up nicely for a new era under Mikel Arteta.