Arsenal eye shock Bernardo Silva transfer alternative to Maddison

This had an air of inevitability about it. Arsenal and their pursuit of a new creative midfielder this summer has seen a host of players linked with only a handful of names staying relevant throughout. At this stage, almost anyone will do. Sort of.

James Maddison is leading the charge as the guy. Martin Odegaard held that mantle previously and while his future has ebbed and flowed, with Arsenal going from being confident back to incapable of bringing the Norwegian to north London.

Where the club are now with the Premier League opener against Brentford fast approaching, all eyes are fixed on Leicestershire as Maddison has leapt to the front of the queue in Arsenal’s wishlist.

So much so that offers have been floated the Foxes way with Arsenal willing to include any one of four players in the mix as they attempt to haggle down Leicester’s £60m+ asking price for the 24-year-old. With three years left on his deal and no need to sell, the outlay will be what it has to be. Brendan Rodgers’ side hold all the power.

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Arsenal eye shock Bernardo Silva transfer alternative to James Maddison as Mikel Arteta seeks creative reinforcements this summer window

Calum Chambers has even been considered in the deal but with player-plus-cash deals not of interest to those over at the King Power Stadium Arsenal will have to simply stump up the cash or look elsewhere.

Are they looking elsewhere? Contingency plans are imperative in such situations as the longer the window draws on the less keen Leicester will be to part with such an influential player whether or not their valuation is met.

As most will have seen, Bernardo Silva is suddenly a hot topic.

Pep Guardiola openly admitted that the versatile Portugal international is seeking a move away from the Etihad this summer, a decision that is entirely understandable given Manchester City have just forked out £100m on Jack Grealish.

It’s unfathomable from an Arsenal perspective to imagine that a club can be so spoilt for talent that Bernardo Silva is deemed surplus to requirements. He would waltz into most sides in Europe.

Is one of those Arsenal? It comes as absolutely no surprise whatsoever that as soon as this news emerged that links has arisen suggesting Arteta is eyeing the 26-year-old as a potential alternative to Maddison.

The Mirror weigh in with this one – there will be more and the legitimacy of the claims has to be questioned given their opportunism – stating that the financial requirements of securing Maddison would be greater than those needed to lure Bernardo down to the capital.

Is this move at all possible and would it suit?

Continued…

Arsenal Stand No Chance of Signing Bernardo Silva

Nips that one in the bud, right?

Who knows in the crazy world of transfer business but looking at a player of Bernardo’s calibre it is entirely unjust for someone that talented not to be playing in the Champions League, let alone the Europa League.

In case anyone forgot, Arsenal have neither.

La Liga is where he is most heavily linked to with Atletico Madrid and Barcelona in the running, but given the latter are broke, broke, broke and Los Rojiblancos have already splashed out £30m on Rodrigo De Paul, they’re not exactly swimming in cash either.

Who wouldn’t want Silva? Profile-wise he’s near enough perfect as he can assume a central midfield role, a No. 8 role, a wide forward role and play in the No. 10.

This is a player who drifts into the pockets, attacks spaces between the lines and acts as a connective function in a fluid operation. He influences and instigates. More of a wide forward who drifts in, his preference to adopt right half-spaces and wide roles on that side could cause some crossover with Bukayo Saka, which is where there may be stylistic issues.

Do you find a way of shoe-horning him in? A player of his level with sublime dribbling ability, glue-like close control at pace who can be mistaken for being a figure skater with the way he strides across the turf is always of use to someone.

Statistically his numbers for progressive carries, penalty box entries and the volume of progressive passes he receives are what you want in a creative force: someone to always be available who uses possession to its fullest.

If Arteta miraculously managed to sign his former pupil then a 4-3-3 would be how to make the most out of Bernardo. However, the key word is miraculous. There is no way this comes off. As delightful as it would be, and while perhaps not as much of a fit as Maddison in this side, he should be playing Champions League football.