Arsenal are not perfect, but they are by far the best team in the Premier League this season.
Mikel Arteta’s side sit four points adrift of second place and although their attack is still not fully developed, the rest of the squad has put in an exceptional performance.
As was the case last year and the season before that, one of the standout stars is Declan Rice.
Fans will be delighted by reports that Arsenal could sign a Rice-type player, as the England international has been a difference-maker on several occasions in the past.
Arsenal targeting another Declan Rice
There have been several star players competing for Arsenal’s Player of the Year award, and Rice is definitely one of them.
As well as becoming an even more attacking threat in the left-eight position he moved into last season, the former West Ham United captain further demonstrated the defensive strength for which he is known, forming double-pivots with Martin Zvimendi on several occasions.
It is therefore no surprise that Arsenal would move to sign another player of his ilk, rising international star Adam Wharton, as the Englishman has been active at every stage of his game.
At least that’s according to recent reports from Spain, which claim the Gunners are one of several teams keen to sign the Crystal Palace star.
The report claims that in addition to the north Londoner, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are vying for the 21-year-old, with Real Madrid also monitoring the situation.
But in addition to winning the competition, the Gunners need to come up with around £100m to tempt the Eagles to sell the jewel in their crown.
That said, Wharton’s immense ability and potential make him a player worth pushing into the boat, especially after an excellent first start for his country during the November international break.
Why Wharton is Arsenal’s new Rice
If Arsenal were to bring Wharton, described by one analyst as “the best Under-21 player in the Prem”, to the Emirates in January, it would be yet another example of poaching a highly-rated central midfielder from another Premier League team.
What’s more, they will once again sign the best English central midfielder from a London-based side outside the big six.
Finally, it is the second time in three years that North Londoners have spent more than £100m north to do so.
So, beyond why the contracts are so similar, why is the Palace ace so similar to the former West Ham star?
Now, like his older compatriot at the time of his arrival, the 21-year-old ace is highly rated, with former Sky Sports employee Matthew Stanger calling him a “generational talent” and one CONCACAF B-certified coach calling him “the best deep-flying English midfielder since Paul Scholes and Michael Carrick”.
That’s certainly high praise, but it’s easy to see where it comes from. Like the 72-cap England star, he can do more than just sit deep and protect the back four.
For example, FBref ranks him in the top 1% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for expected goals assisted per 90 minutes, in the top 4% for key passes, in the top 5% for through balls, and in the top 10% for shot creation actions.
Wharton scouting report | ||
|---|---|---|
statistics | around 90 | percentile |
key pass | 2.07 | Top 4% |
through ball | 0.58 | Top 5% |
Expected assist | 0.22 | Top 6% |
inswinging corner kick | 1.29 | Top 7% |
Actions that create shots | 3.75 | Top 10% |
cross into the penalty area | 0.26 | Top 13% |
Action to create a goal | 0.39 | Top 17% |
cross | 2.78 | Top 18% |
All stats via FBref | ||
Additionally, he has already won three senior caps with the Three Lions and played a pivotal role in last season’s FA Cup win, the Eagles’ first major honour.
After all, although still in the early stages of his career, Wharton appears to be developing into a superstar and could develop into another Rice-type monster under a manager like Arteta.