Arsenal offered ‘incredible’ £47m midfielder in negotiations

With the summer transfer window coming to an end, you’d think the January market could be a quieter affair for Arsenal.

Andrea Berta and Mikel Arteta have collaborated to spend huge sums of money preparing for the 2025/26 campaign and they needed it.

Although the jury is still out on the trios of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, the depth they have added in defense is much needed.

Much has been made of the increased depth of the Gunners squad and given injuries to almost every backline player at some point this season, they have needed those extra bodies.

Well, when it comes to the winter window, even more depth may be needed.

Arsenal pursue former Premier League midfielder

No position was spared over the summer as Arsenal prepared for their assault on the title.

However, the position that arguably lacks the most depth at the moment is midfield.

Declan Rice missed Arsenal’s clash with Aston Villa on Tuesday night due to injury and there is a feeling they need someone to help him out.

Rice is irreplaceable, but an extra body to reduce his workload wouldn’t hurt. The same can be said of fellow midfielder Martin Zubimendi who has played virtually every minute since arriving from Real Sociedad this summer.

One option, according to Caught Offside, is former Wolverhampton Wanderers star Ruben Neves.

The Portuguese maestro left Molineux for the riches of Saudi Arabia in 2023, but is now reportedly keen to return to European football.

The report claims that Neves was actually offered to several top clubs, including Arsenal, during negotiations. That said, no concrete response has been issued by transfer officials at the Emirates Stadium.

Other reports say he could be available for as little as £15million, with his contract expiring this summer. That’s a big discount on the £47million Al-Hilal paid for him.

How Ruben Neves Compares to Declan Rice

If Arteta and Co complete a deal for Neves in January, he would represent the perfect foil for Rice and Zubimendi.

In many ways, the former Wolves man is cut from the same cloth as one Cesc Fabregas.

Capable of playing as a deep-lying playmaker, his passing range and ability to dictate tempo are top-notch. That said, he also has the ability to maraud forward and influence play in the final third.

Not only is he an exceptional passer, he is devastating with his shots from distance. Indeed, of the 13 non-penalty goals he has scored for Wolves in the Premier League, no fewer than nine of them have come from outside the box. This is clearly an area where Arsenal need to improve.

You sense that only the aforementioned Rice has similar ability in Arteta’s team. Do you remember these two free kicks against Real Madrid? Of course yes, they are hard to forget.

Both have cultivated a reputation as dead ball specialists. Although Rice has yet to score from a dead ball since those magical efforts against Madrid, he is now one of the best corner takers in Europe.

Likewise, Neves is damn good from a set piece. The 28-year-old has scored seven direct free kicks in his career, including three in the Premier League and the latest in a Saudi Pro League match in November.

While Rice has undoubtedly become more complete since Neves played in England’s top flight, data from the 2022/23 campaign suggests they are even more similar than just their set-piece prowess.

According to FBref, the second most similar player in the Premier League during this campaign against Neves was indeed Rice.

The numbers help show why. At this point, they have recorded a similar number of goals and assists per 90 minutes. Perhaps the most intriguing similarity is their deaths.

During this period, the volume of key passes and progressive passes made was almost identical. Their shot creation actions and defensive actions were also very similar. There’s a reason he was described as an “incredible technician” by analyst Raj Chohan.

Of course, Rice has now become a unleashed presence in midfield, but Neves certainly shares many similar traits with Arsenal’s record signing. Think of him as a hybrid of Zubimendi and the club’s number 41.

At the peak of his career, the opportunity to add Neves to the team as they look for more depth seems almost too good to turn down.