Arsenal must accelerate plan to sign Vinicius Junior alternative and stop him joining rivals, stats prove why
Arsenal have been sent back to the drawing board in their hunt for a new left-sided winger this summer after Vinicius Junior decided to stay at Real Madrid.
The Gunners had put significant work into a potential move for the Brazilian and were confident until the Spanish giants changed their offer at the final minute and were able to convince him to stay put.
The decision has now left the Premier League champions scrambling for an alternative, as they look to bolster their attack before the window shuts.
Mika Godts has been on Arsenal's radar for some time, and could now come back into their thinking as PSG attempt to agree a deal with Ajax.
The European champions have had a £34million offer turned down for the winger already, and are reportedly set to make a second bid worth in the region of £47m.
Arsenal have already signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge this summer and are set to announce the arrival of Bruno Guimaraes from Newcastle United, but there is still work to be done at the Emirates Stadium.
The remarkable stats behind Mika Godts
Godts, 21, was an academy signing from Genk, emerging in the Ajax senior team in the 2023-24 season, before featuring extensively in the campaign after.
It was last season that saw him truly explode onto the scene, however, with the winger registering a staggering 17 goals and 15 assists across all competitions.
Deceptively strong, Godts uses his body to back up his speed, allowing him to get past defenders with ease.
In the league last season, the 21-year-old completed 2.85 dribbles per game, winning 5.63 duels and 1.47 free kicks every 90 minutes, too.
The Belgian also got 2.68 shots away every game and produced 2.61 chances - an outstanding return.
There are question marks about Godts, however. His 17 goals came from just 10.9 expected goals - a potential indicator of either a brilliant finisher, or a purple patch that will come to an end.
Yet the forward's age makes those risks worth taking, and that is exactly why a club as intelligent as PSG are willing to splash the cash to bring him in.
What has Godts said about his future?
Godts was controversially snubbed for Belgium's World Cup squad, but made his senior international debut in April.
The winger will hope that a big move this summer will make those caps easier to come by.
"I’ve said before that I’d like to stay at Ajax. I’ve always dreamed of winning a trophy with this club. It won’t happen this season, but hopefully next," Godts said in April.
"In the summer, I’ll assess the plan—both for the team and for me. Things may change; they may not. After that, I’ll decide."
If Arsenal are to throw their hats in the ring for the talented wide man, they will need to do it now.