Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo: Who should Arsenal sign this summer?

A huge summer beckons at Arsenal Football Club.

The club has moved forward at an exponential rate in 2022/23, and they could yet end up as the Premier League champions should Manchester City slip up in a couple of their remaining four games. Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta has his sights set on a remarkable 90-point haul just 12 months after the Gunners missed out on the top four to their bitter rivals Tottenham.

Oh, how times have so quickly changed!

Arsenal’s conclusion to the season will not determine their summer transfer plans, with the club set to embark on a busy period at the end of the 2022/23 season no matter where they finish. Their midfield is in further need of bolstering at both the #6 and #8 positions, and several priority targets have manifested.

The Gunners could begin 2023/24 with both Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo on their books, but it’s likely that just one (if any) arrives at the Emirates this summer. So, if Arsenal had to prioritise a move for either Rice or Caicedo, who should they choose?

Declan Rice or Moises Caicedo: Who should Arsenal sign this summer?

Passing & build-up

Both players would be competent operating as a #6 or #8 within Arteta’s framework, and each role comes with plenty of responsibility in possession, especially the former.

The holding midfielder is joined by Oleksandr Zinchenko to create a midfield pivot which helps Arsenal overwhelm opponents in central areas. The Gunners are all about control. Thus, it’s imperative to be technically secure, adept under pressure, positionally astute, and capable of breaking lines when necessary as the #6 in Arteta’s system.

Caicedo is currently playing a meticulous possession structure under Roberto De Zerbi which often resembles a 4-2-4. The Ecuadorian international typically operates in the midfield two alongside Alexis Mac Allister and plays an important role in Brighton’s build-up. At the time of writing, Caicedo ranks in the top 16% of all midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues over the past year in terms of passes completed per 90 minutes (55.03). His pass completion is an impressive 88.2%, but he’s not the primary ball progressor in De Zerbi’s side, as he sits in the top 30% of all midfielders for progressive passes.

However, Caicedo is competent when asked upon to progress play, and he’s certainly aided by an impressive ball-carrying ability. Although, Rice also stands out in this regard. He’s so hard to stop in full cry.

The West Ham midfielder has primarily played in a transition-based unit that, this season, boasts the third-lowest average possession share in the Premier League. Caicedo’s Brighton, on the contrary, average the second-highest behind only Man City. Thus, Rice isn’t given as much of a chance to impress with the ball, which is why his numbers aren’t quite as impressive as Caicedo’s.

Nevertheless, he still tanks in the top 22% of midfielders when it comes to passes completed per 90 minutes, while his pass completion of 86.6% is more than respectable considering the onus he takes on in West Ham’s build-up. Rice has a ton of responsibility, and, like Caicedo, he can play line-splitting passes when needed.

The Englishman’s perhaps a little more cautious with the ball than the Ecuadorian, and he’s previously been criticised for hiding somewhat in the build-up, but that’s been eradicated from his game. His efficacy in transition shouldn’t be scoffed at either.

Overall, I think Rice would probably be better suited to performing the #6 role in possession at Arsenal, whereas Caicedo would be better off as an #8.

Continued on the next slide…