Arsenal could do worse than give Ademola Lookman another shot in the Premier League amid reports that they are considering signing the Atalanta BC attacker this summer, expert Charles Watts has told Sports Mole.
The Gunners’ lack of a killer forward proved fatal in their 3-1 aggregate loss to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals, a result that ensured they would be going trophyless for the fifth season running, barring the 2023 Community Shield.
Prior to Wednesday’s second-leg loss to Luis Enrique‘s men, rumours emerged that Arsenal had expressed an interest in Lookman, who only managed 11 goals and six assists in 96 Premier League games during spells with Everton, Fulham and Leicester City.
However, the 27-year-old has blossomed into one of Serie A’s deadliest attackers since joining Atalanta, and Watts is confident that Lookman could bring something different to an ailing Arsenal attack, as might Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens.
“They’ve been linked with so many players,” he told Sports Mole. “I saw Jamie Gittens was being linked yesterday, the local Dortmund press reporting that. Arsenal have been putting the feelers out for a lot of left-wingers.
‘Lookman can bring trickery and guile to Arsenal attack’
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“We know that Nico Williams is absolutely on that list as well, whether that’s one that ends up being done we’ll have to wait and see, but I like Ademola Lookman. What he’s done since he’s gone to Atlanta has been great.
“When he has played in the Premier League it’s been relatively underwhelming, but that doesn’t mean you can’t come back and be a success now. Whoever it ends up being, and I don’t know at this point who it’s going to end up being, but whoever they do eventually bring in just has to make an impact.
“This season, 17 games of the 35 in the Premier League, they’ve scored one or no goals. That’s just not good enough, you can’t win anything like that. Too many games are on a knife edge, you’re leaving yourself open at the back to concede stupid goals and three points have turned into one or none.
“They’ve got to sign two attackers, real goal threats who can open teams up, a bit of trickery and guile. Lookman can do that, he can beat a man, score from distance. Jamie Gittens as well, very young and still relatively raw, but he can open teams up with that dribbling ability and someone who can run with the ball at his feet, Arsenal don’t have too many of those type of players.”
Lookman’s contract at Atalanta only runs until the summer of 2027, but Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool could all rival Arsenal for the signature of the former Charlton Athletic attacker.
Comparing Ademola Lookman and Nico Williams amid Arsenal transfer links
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While Lookman is neither an out-and-out centre-forward nor left-winger – the two main positions that Arsenal will most likely look to upgrade on this summer – the Nigeria international is a proven goalscorer, a profile of player that the Gunners are crying out for.
Lookman has managed 14 goals in Serie A this season – nine more than rumoured top target Williams has struck in La Liga – and provided 19 overall across all tournaments, while both men boast five assists in their respective leagues.
According to data from FBRef, the Atalanta attacker has also recorded more shots and has a higher percentage of shots on target than Williams, as well as recording more progressive carries, 133 compared to 113 for the Spaniard.
However, it may be unfair to compare shooting statistics given Lookman has often played in a more central role this term, although he has significantly over-performed his Serie A Expected Goals (xG) tally of 9.9, as has Williams with five goals from 3.9xG.
The Athletic attacker has also attempted 75 more take-ons than Lookman in league action, although their success rates are almost identical – 36% for Williams and 35% for Lookman – and either would surely add a new dimension to the Arsenal attack this summer.
