Arsenal: Top 3 near-relegated players to target

1. Jack Grealish

Jack Grealish is perfect for the modern game. He brilliantly balances his technical skill, tactical understanding and spatial awareness, and physical quality to become the all-around attacking midfielder that every team is desperate to find. Like Buendia, he is a Mesut Ozil who can run.

Grealish is a terrific dribbler. No player has been fouled more times than him in the Premier League. Grealish has been fouled 4.9 times per game. The next closest is Wilfried Zaha at 3.2 times per game. He also averages 2.2 successful dribbles per game, which is comparable with the some of the best ball-carrying midfielders in the division.

He allies this with wonderful distribution. He has six assists, creates 2.7 chances per game, and is consistently beating heart of the Aston Villa possession play. And then he knows how to score, as evidenced his seven goals and 2.1 shots per game. He has had a third in Villa’s goal this season, a further illustration of just how vital he is.

Grealish would not come cheap. Manchester United are chasing him hard. But at 24 years of age, he offers long-term upside as the cornerstone in the attack for the best part of a decade. That is someone worth investing in.