Arsenal: Dominik Szoboszlai solves all offensive problems

Arsenal have holes right across the team. But with the January transfer window slipping away, the club should look to Dominik Szoboszlai as a solution.

Arsenal look less and less likely to sign anyone as the January transfer window creeps by. Mikel Arteta himself said that he is not expecting any fresh blood before the month is out. Per James Dudko of Bleacher Report, Arteta is not optimistic about the upcoming transfer window, saying:

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"“At the moment there is nothing coming up. The club is working on a few things but you know how difficult this window is and I’m not expecting many things. I’m expecting big things from the players I have at the moment, the players that are recovering from injuries. That’s the biggest expectations from my side, they’re there.”"

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And of course, that line, ‘The club is working on a few things,’ is translating into numerous rumours about Jerome Boateng, Dayot Upamecano, Kalidou Koulibaly, Leandro Parades… the list goes on. In reality, many of the players linked are far out of the club’s price range, while others are genuinely superfluous. They simply will not happen.

But the Arsenal squad is now in turmoil. An injury-stricken defensive corps sees the defensive options ravaged, while an unfortunate muscular injury to Lucas Torreira leaves the squad with a grand total of two midfield backups: An out-of-form Joe Willock and a not-yet-fit Dani Ceballos. And as if it couldn’t be worse, Pierre Emerick Aubameyang’s three-game suspension means the attacking options are crippled until February. Brilliant. Keep in mind, Arsenal are trying to win the Europa League, attain a top-four finish in the league, and succeed in the FA cup. Given the crocked squad, it is a daunting prospect.

So, enter the man of your dreams. The perfect solution to every problem the club faces. Dominik Szobozslai of RB Salzburg. The 19-year-old attacker is one of the most promising young talents in Europe, and despite Erling Braut Haaland and Takumi Minamino’s collective brilliance, managed to cement a solid place for himself in the Salzburg squad before their departure. He is now the sole superstar talent on the roster. And he’s starting to turn heads.

A creative genius, two-footed, and sure on the ball, Szoboszlai can play centrally as an attacker, a mobile number eight, a pivot in the midfield, or even wide-left. His deceptive pace and grace on the ball often leave defenders bewildered and his 6’1″ frame offers a strong build which makes him an all-around threat. He is the perfect depth player to augment this squad.

Szoboszlai is also very tactically aware. His best skill comes in exploiting space. He is a very efficient mover and relies on his stunning acceleration to position himself where he’s needed most. He has a serious engine: in two UCL campaigns with RB Salzburg, the 19-year-old has never been substituted. His high-octane style would work perfectly in the high-pressing number 10 role that Arteta wants to employ.

He is also a set-piece wizard. He has the dead-ball duties both for Salzburg and for his native Hungary, and his corners and freekicks are things of beauty. With an exquisite range of passing and sublime technique, he’s an ideal replacement for Mesut Ozil.

He has earned the moniker of ‘the next Kai Havertz’, a man linked heavily to Arsenal since last summer. But Szoboszlai is genuinely a better option. Why? Well, he has got the same raw talent, less of an ego, and he will cost about £70 million less.

Arsenal need a versatile, athletic, technically sound attacking midfielder for cheap. It is not easy to find those type of players, but Dominik Szoboszlai might just be the solution that the club needs.