Why Arsenal signing Quincy Promes in January would be a real boost
Back in August, a report from The Guardian had claimed that Arsenal were plotting a swoop for Ajax winger Quincy Promes during the summer window. However, rumours linking the Dutchman with a move to North London never came to fruition, with the Gunners deciding to pursue other targets in the market.
Profile
Quincy Promes started his footballing education in the youth ranks of Ajax and completed his development at Twente, turning professional with the latter in the 2011-12 season. An 11-goal haul in the Eredivisie in the 2013-14 campaign paved the way for a switch to Spartak Moscow, where he spent four campaigns.
The Dutchman established himself as one of the best attackers in the Russian Premier League, bagging an astonishing 66 goals and 33 assists in 135 appearances in all competitions. Promes was snapped up by Sevilla in 2018 and he contributed with 3 goals and 9 assists in 49 appearances in his only season as the Andalusian outfit finished 6th in the La Liga.
Promes returned to Ajax in 2019 and bagged 16 goals in 28 appearances last season before the campaign was curtailed due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The winger has continued to fire on all cylinders this term, scoring 4 times in 10 league fixtures so far.
A full international for the Netherlands since 2014, Promes has earned 46 caps for his nation, scoring 7 times in the process.
Quincy Promes would add more quality to the Arsenal attack
Despite bolstering their squad with the acquisition of Willian, Gabriel Magalhaes and Thomas Partey in the summer, Arsenal have endured a lacklustre start to the campaign. The Gunners presently sit 14th in the standings with just 13 points, having won just 4 out of their 10 opening league fixtures.
That Arsenal have only managed 10 goals in the PL this season clearly underlines how spectacularly Mikel Arteta’s side have failed in the final third. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has suffered a significant downturn in form ever since signing his new contract. The Gabonese star has scored only twice in 10 league appearances this season, which is a massive downgrade for a striker who bagged 22 goals in the PL last term.
Aubameyang, though, isn’t the only one to blame for Arsenal’s dismal scoring record. The wide attackers have also failed to chip in with significant goal contributions, with Willian, Bukayo Saka and Nicolas Pepe sharing only 2 goals among them in the Premier League so far.
With lack of creativity threatening to jeopardise the club’s pursuit of a top-four finish, Arteta should definitely consider casting his net into the January transfer pond for some fresh additions. And reigniting interest in Quincy Promes would make sense.
Essentially a left-winger by trade, Promes is versatile enough to operate out wide on the other flank and also in a No.10 role. With Mesut Ozil no longer in Arsenal’s plans, Promes’ inclusion would definitely provide that much-needed X-Factor to the club’s creative cavalry. The Dutchman is adept at scoring as well as creating goals, so he could potentially bring the best out of Aubameyang and Lacazette.
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Verdict
Quincy Promes fits the bill as a tried and tested performer at the highest level in Europe, as well as for the Netherlands in the international arena. He still has several years remaining in his prime at 28, thus making the Ajax star well worth a punt for Arsenal in the winter market.
