Arsenal must choose: James Maddison or Bernardo Silva?

Between Bernardo Silva of Manchester City and James Maddison of Leicester City, the choice between a central midfielder to add creativity to Arsenal could not be much better; but what about the other names I mentioned just a bit ago?

Many of those names might still be in play of course, depending on price, availability and the lot. Arsenal still have to sell players who want away from the club as well as requiring the money that they will raise in order to acquire key talent for offensive purposes specifically.

Houssem Aouar of Lyon still exists, and signing him remains possible, especially for the slashed price that he is still available for. Yet this piece is not to discuss all of the names once again in such a broad sense, but to look at the aforementioned names of Silva and Maddison.

As for Aouar, should he find his way to the Gunners then that would be to the club’s great fortune, surely. Meanwhile, the two names of Bernardo and Maddison require some attention themselves, if only for a piece.

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Bernardo Silva and James Maddison: Either one would do wonderfully for Arsenal

Both players are supremely talented, and while Silva can play out wide as well as inside, Maddison can be used across the midfield to great effect. They have both been productive for their Premier League sides, despite that the fact they could be on the way out soon enough for differing reasons.

For Silva, who has experience with Mikel Arteta from his coaching days with Man City, is simply too crowded at City to be able to expect consistent minutes on the pitch. This has frustrated the Portuguese forward, and with good reason.

Links have emerged with Arsenal and while the legitimacy of them needs to be accounted for, there strong basis for such a connection to arise.

When Bernardo Silva is healthy and in the flow of the game, he can put up both goals and assists, like during the 2019-20 season in which he was able to score eight goals and notch ten assists. He has only three goals and eight assists in the season since, only a year of course, but it appears that that is enough to sour him on remaining at City beyond this summer.

James Maddison of Leicester, however, is not in a bad situation with his club or coach. No, instead, he is simply one of the best players on Leicester’s book, and as they routinely sell a larger, valuable piece of their team each summer, it only figures that he is now up at 24 years old.

His recent season, in contrast to Silva’s, was fairly prolific; he scored 11 goals and weighed in with ten assists in all competitions, and so could get the Foxes more money to reinvest into the future of the fascinating and competitive club.

With the money – and player – they might receive from Arsenal, Leicester can keep their momentum moving forward and towards new possibilities and heights. The Gunners, meanwhile, no matter which of the two they get, will get someone who can add some creative punch to their currently stale final third play.

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Who would I Choose? Who Will Arsenal Choose?

For me, I think Maddison is preferable from the perspective of what he was able to do last season, yet Silva has the history with Arteta to help jump start Arsenal and their talent that would be all around him.

Silva would give the Gunners more versatility in terms of positions as he can play centrally as a No. 8, while also managing to play on the wing as well. Yet if a real midfielder is what is being sought, Maddison has proven that he is an effective piece for most puzzles.

Finances have something to do with this too, of course. Who will be more reasonable, with or without the addition of a player? Financially, Bernardo would likely come in at a smidgen cheaper.

While Silva would be able to help get the team playing as Arteta wants as a ball-carrying and visionary No. 8, he might not be as good as Maddison when push comes to shove. Conversely, Silva might be dying to move to a place where he can play as more of the man himself.

If he is being stifled in some way, then Arsenal might be a much needed escape. However, the elephant in the room that needs mentioning, is that he will doubtlessly want to seek pastures where Champions League football exists.

For Arsenal? I think they will make Maddison work, with added sales of players and a bit of Kroenke money. I would not be frustrated with Silva, of course, no more than I would be frustrated with either Raheem Sterling or Riyad Mahrez.

These are great players, who could certainly help to patch up this proud yet slightly smarting club. Times are a changing, yet they must move with volition and ambition, for patience is always waning, from fans and afar.