Campbell: Arteta playing ‘smart’ game by luring ‘perfect’ Buendia – and this is what it means for Aubameyang
Emiliano Buendia would be an ideal Arsenal signing as he would diversify their goal threat and lighten the loan for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
That is according to ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, speaking exclusively to Football Insider after Eurosport revealed that Arsenal plan to make an offer for the Norwich City playmaker in the summer.
Buendia was the subject of reported interest from Arsenal in January, though this site revealed that no formal contact had been made at the midpoint of the window.
Arsenal skipper Aubemayang has netted 14 times in 29 appearances in 2020-21 but has scored in just six of Mikel Arteta’s side’s 27 Premier League games.
Cambell insisted that Buendia would breathe some life into Arsenal’s midfield and that his goal contribution would take some of the pressure off the captain.
“I don’t know if he’ll play as a number 10,” he told Football Insider correspondent Dylan Childs.
“But he will be an added midfield player who can create and score. That’s the key.
“The goals need to be shared out because when you’re too reliant on one player, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, this season when he’s gone off the boil, we’ve been stumped.
“You’ve got to get goals from all over so the threats are multiple. I just think Mikel Arteta’s playing a smart game by trying to get him because another person who can score and create, that’s the name of the game.
“You can’t just have defences zero in one player.”
Buendia has 22 goal contributions (10 goals, 12 assists) for table-topping Norwich in the Championship this season.
He has also made 89 successful through balls, 19 more than his closest competitor, and tops the charts for key passes too (Wyscout).
In other news, finance expert Kieran Maguire claims Arsenal are in danger of falling behind arch-rivals Spurs in the financial stakes.