Arsenal: 3 Championship players Arteta should sign this summer

Tomas Esteves – Reading (on loan from Porto)

When football academies are mentioned, Ajax and Dortmund spring to mind as some of the most successful organizations in developing young talent, yet one club that flies under the radar is Porto. The Portuguese outfit has produced some world class players, including James Rodriguez, Alex Sandro and Pepe, to name but a few. The newest player to come off the production line is Tomas Esteves.

The Porto player is on loan at Reading and while he hasn’t become the first name on the team sheet – starting 11 Championship matches but featuring in 25 – he is someone who Arteta should be looking at.

The first attractive aspect of the Esteves is his age and position. The young man is only 18 years old and plays right-back, a position that Arteta will certainly try and improve this summer. Hector Bellerin has had an average season and may well fetch a large transfer fee. If Hector Bellerin moves on only Calum Chambers and Cedric Soares will be left, and with Soares being 29 years old and Chambers slightly younger at 26, having a youthful option who can grow into the role will be crucial as Arsenal rebuild.

Esteves also seems to fit the mold of Arteta’s ideal right-back. He’s quick and can bomb down the right flank, and while the Royals are in possession, Esteves tends to drift into midfield and underlap the wide option. This is something that Bellerin has been tasked with doing and while his success can be debated, if this is the way Arteta wants to play, few would fit the bill better for the price.

Unlike Bellerin, Esteves boasts excellent close control and technical ability, ensuring that when he does receive the ball in midfield, his retention is solid and he’s capable of driving forward, drifting through opposition players. An exciting prospect.