It might not have ended in the way they hoped it would, but Arsenal enjoyed another season of incredible football this year.
Mikel Arteta's side pushed Manchester City to the final day of the Premier League campaign and put up a valiant effort in the Champions League.
From Kai Havertz at the sharp end of the pitch to William Saliba and Gabriel in the heart of the defence, the team is full of incredible players who have taken another step forward this year.
However, the club's poster boy, Bukayo Saka, looked drained by the end of the campaign and missed the final game against Everton, so it's unsurprising that the latest player touted for a move to N5 could provide him with some much-needed competition.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a report from Portuguese publication O Jogo earlier this week, Arsenal are interested in Sporting CP's Marcus Edwards.
However, the report also revealed the former Tottenham Hotspur player remains on the Lilywhites' 'radar' ahead of the summer window, which could complicate things for Edu Gaspar and Co.
The good news is that football.london's Alasdair Gold reported late last month that Sporting value the Englishman at just £15m, which is considerably less than the £52m release clause that the Telegraph reported he had in 2022.
In all, while Spurs' interest could undoubtedly complicate things, if Arsenal can sign Edwards for as little as Gold claims, they simply have to do it, as Saka needs a genuine rival on the right.
How Edwards compares to Saka
The first thing to note is that Arteta clearly – and correctly – rates Saka above most players in his team, and while Edwards is a talented player, he would not be coming in as a replacement or upgrade. Instead, his role would be to challenge the Hale End star and come in when he needs to rest.
It might not sound like it, but that could be one of the most critical roles in the Arsenal team, as the 22-year-old started 92% of league games and was the fifth most fouled player in the competition this season – in short, he needs protection.
So, with that said, how does the Sporting ace stack up with the Gunners' number seven? Well, from a pure output perspective, the 25-year-old was neck and neck with his potential new teammate last season, racking up 12 goals and 14 assists in 51 games to his 15 goals and 11 assists in 48.
Appearances
51
48
Goals
12
15
Assists
14
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.50
0.54
Appearances
44
47
Goals
6
20
Assists
9
14
Goal Involvements per Match
0.34
0.72
However, this season, he's fallen behind quite a bit and has just six goals and nine assists to his name in 44 games, while the North Londoners' starboy reached new heights, scoring 20 goals and providing 14 assists in 47 games.
That said, the fact that he produced a similar number of goal involvements last season suggests that the left-footed ace could be a brilliant backup out on the right.
Moreover, the Arsenal faithful should be well aware of his qualities, as the dynamo presenter Jack Collins described as "electric" scored a great goal at the Emirates for his former side Vitoria in 2019.
Ultimately, Edwards is not going to come in and displace Saka in the starting lineup, but he is more than capable of providing the Englishman with quality competition and the chance to either come off early or rest for some matches and for £15m, that makes this transfer is a no-brainer.
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