Should Joao Felix be Arsenal’s Number One target over Mudryk?

Joao Felix Could Be What Arteta Needs, Here’s Why

If there’s one thing we can all agree on, it’s that Mykhailo Mudryk’s rumoured deal does not directly fill the void left by Gabriel Jesus.

There are suggestions that Mudryk can play in almost every position in attack, but at the end of the day, he is more of a left winger, so if signed, he should be introduced into Arteta’s starting lineup as a left winger. If Mudryk is moved to the left wing, it will not strengthen Arsenal’s attack as much as some had hoped, as many had hoped for a January swoop of a striker who can be deployed to lead Arsenal’s attack and be a rich source of goals.

Yes, Nketiah has shown he can deliver for Arteta by scoring twice in his last three league starts, but with Jesus’ return uncertain and the PL title and Europa League on the line, Arteta simply needs another option besides Nketiah.

Could Joao Felix be the other option? Dean Jones believes so. Although the football pundit believes Manchester United are also in the running to sign Felix, he says Arsenal are the team to watch in terms of his next club. “I think it’s looking like Arsenal and Manchester United, and then Chelsea. I can’t make my way between those. I would say Arsenal need him more because he’ll make a bigger impact; at United, he would be a good move, but I don’t think it would be as defining in their season as it potentially could be for Arsenal,” said Jones on The Football Terrace.

“With Arsenal, [Mykhaylo] Mudryk on the left side, you have [Emile] Smith-Rowe coming back soon, you have got situations which can unfold to help them. I just feel centrally, Joao Felix could be so helpful—he could be to United too—but I just feel that Arsenal have the edge.”

Jones’ argument should be music to Arsenal fans’ ears, given that he has four goals and three assists in limited game time (though he has made 13 appearances in La Liga). Imagine if he were signed to lead Arsenal’s attack, which is “served” by the creativity of Odegaard, Saka, Mudryk (potentially), Xhaka, and Martinelli; he could turn into a goal machine.

Daniel O