Arsenal: 7 Martin Odegaard transfer alternatives

5. Daichi Kamada – Eintracht Frankfurt

Remember Unai Emery’s Arsenal swansong against Eintracht Frankfurt? Daichi Kamada scored both goals that day. They were sadly quite good ones, too.

This season, however, he’s improved immensely, added greater creativity and has been far more clinical with his actions in the final third. Last season, only two players in Europe’s top five leagues contributed more than his 15 assists, and one of them was his teammate, Filip Kostic.

His xG from shot creation as well as ball progression is both in the 90th percentiles, often coming from central positions where he majorly lined up as one of two No. 10’s behind Andre Silva at Eintracht.

Kamada’s ability in that area is heightened by superb two-footedness, quick bursts of pace and great balance and agility. Clever ball manipulation in that area opens up spaces to attack and his movement in and around the half-spaces is always with an eye on the next move, usually forward-thinking.

Scoring well for passes under pressure, key passes and passes into the final third, his actual volume of passes don’t add up as highly compared to other players of his ilk due to Frankfurt’s use of wide areas. From here the 24-year-old is a strong reader of the game and the timing of his runs into the box showcases that.

Kamada is someone who likes to take risks. Whether with a deep run or a defence-splitting pass, this willingness is something Arsenal have lacked many times throughout the last 18 months.