Arsenal: 3 reasons why Emi Buendia might be perfect

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NORWICH, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 08: Emiliano Buendia of Norwich City carries the ball in preparation to take a corner kick during the Premier League match between Norwich City and Sheffield United at Carrow Road on December 08, 2019 in Norwich, United Kingdom. (Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images) /

Arsenal are looking for a modernised central midfielder who can create chances, carry the ball, and dictate play. Here are three reasons why Emi Buendia might be perfect.

Arsenal need a creative, ball-carrying, productive central midfielder who can eventually take over the reins from Mesut Ozil. With Mikel Arteta’s likely preference of a 4-3-3 rather than a 4-2-3-1, a system that Ozil does not fit, that need has only been accelerated. As such, the position has been frequently named as a key priority for the club in the upcoming transfer window, whenever that may actually be.

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So, with all of this in mind, here are three reasons why Norwich City midfielder Emi Buendia would be perfect.

BRIGHTON, ENGLAND – NOVEMBER 02: Emiliano Buendia of Norwich City evades Dale Stephens of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Premier League match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Norwich City at American Express Community Stadium on November 02, 2019 in Brighton, United Kingdom. (Photo by Steve Bardens/Getty Images) /

3. He is an excellent dribbler

This season, Adam Traore has been the most prolific dribbler in the Premier League. He completed 6.3 dribbles per 90 minutes. Of players who played more than 1000 minutes, only Allan Saint-Maximin completed more than five dribbles per 90. But these two players are very different types of players to Buendia. They are pacy, direct wingers. Buendia is a more nuanced creator.

And yet, the Argentinian is not too far behind in the dribbling statistics. He ranks fourth in successful dribbles per 90 in the Premier League with 4.1, behind only Wilfred Zaha, Saint-Maximin and Traore. All three are very similar players: whippet wingers. Buendia, then, is the best dribbling creative midfielder in the Premier League.

His ball carries are also consistent. Buendia actually ranks seventh for dribble attempts per 90 in the Premier League, but he fails only 1.7 of his 5.8 attempts. Not only does he progress the ball frequently, among the best in the league, but he does so with very few failures. That is the type of ball-progressing midfielder that Arsenal require.

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