Arsenal the envy of Europe as duo rank in top seven but 16 year old on top
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta may have future-proofed his squad with two of the best prodigies in European football, according to a recent survey. The Gunners have had a clear focus in the transfer window over the past few years in trying to target young talents from around the world.
Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, Fabio Vieira, Martin Odegaard and Ben White were all under 25 years old when they joined Arsenal and the average age of the squad is one of the youngest in the league. That clear transfer strategy has paid dividends for Arteta with strong recruitment helping the Gunners compete at the top of the table.
And that youthfulness in their squad ensures Arsenal will be there to stay for years to come. But while signings such as Odegaard, White and Rice have made strong impacts at the Emirates, it’s two stalwarts who seemingly make the difference for the Gunners.
Data published by CIES Football Observatory looks at the top young dribblers in European football and both Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka rank high on the list. The list looks at the frequency of successful dribbles as well as the level of the opponents they’ve faced.
Martinelli ranks second while Saka is close by in seventh with both 22-year-olds deemed two of the best young dribblers in European football. Arsenal are the only European team that has more than one player that ranks in the top 15 spots.
Barcelona boast the brightest talent in European football though with 16-year-old Lamine Yamal coming out on top. Burnley also have a top talent in the shape of Luca Koleosho, who averages nearly six successful dribbles a match.
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The only other Premier League player to feature on the list is Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon, who scores almost identically to Saka on the data recorded. Both Saka and Martinelli are seen as crucial parts of Arteta’s squad for the present and long-term future.
The England international has already established himself as one of the Premier League’s brightest talents and he’s already registered six assists as well as five goals in all competitions this campaign. Arteta wants more productivity from Martinelli on the left wing as he’s found the net just once in the league this campaign.
But the signs are still promising that Arsenal are well stocked for the future on both wings and look set to terrorise defences for years to come.
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