Mikel Arteta will be hoping to lead Arsenal to glory next season, having missed out on securing a first Premier League crown in 19 years, with Manchester City chasing the Gunners down during the final weeks of the campaign.
In order to achieve success, the Spaniard must significantly strengthen his side, with added squad depth proving crucial during the 2022/23 run-in as Pep Guardiola's champions were able to call on far better players.
Despite finishing with 88 league goals from their 38 games last term, on the surface, it appears as though Arteta’s men are well-stocked across the attacking department, yet they had to rely on Eddie Nketiah to lead the line following an injury to Gabriel Jesus at the 2022 World Cup, which tells its own story.
The Englishman managed to score four times in December and January, seemingly filling in for Jesus well, however across the whole season, he ranked as 20th in the squad for overall rating, sixth for shots per game and second for big chances missed, suggesting that Arteta must sign an upgrade during the summer transfer window, with someone with a more clinical nature urgently required.
The Gunners have been linked recently with Elye Wahi, according to reports in Spain, and could he be the marksman that Arteta needs?
Could Elye Wahi improve Arsenal?
The 20-year-old could cost the club around €35m (£30m) if any move was to be made this summer, but the youngster could be worth every penny.
Across 32 Ligue 1 appearances for Montpellier, the striker netted 17 goals and registered a further six assists, stunning form by the France U21 international as he looks destined for a bright future.
Despite his tender years, he ranked first for goals, second for assists and shots per game, while ranking third for big chances created out of the whole Montpellier squad, clearly indicating that he hasn’t been fazed by first-team football and made a major breakthrough during 2022/2023.
He could even be an upgrade on Nketiah for next term judging by their respective league statistics, registering more goals (17 to four), total shots (59 to 41), goal-creating actions (11 to three) and crosses (19 to five), certainly proving just how effective he has been in front of goal.
Ex-Caen academy director Francis de Taddeo lauded the striker, saying: “He is a powerful, athletic and fast player with a range of dribbling skills where only he knows what he is going to do next.”
Wahi could be a wonderful investment for Arsenal, yet judging by his early performances during his career, he could hit the ground running if he made the move to the Premier League.