One game to go, just one more match, and we'll know whether the Premier League title is staying in Manchester or coming to North London for the first time in two decades.
Mikel Arteta's young Arsenal side have proven once again this season that they are the real deal, and regardless of the title's ultimate destination, they are here to stay and challenge Pep Guardiola's juggernaut for some time to come.
Alongside Sporting Director Edu Gaspar, the Spaniard has helped to transform the North Londoner's squad with impressive additions like Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, and Kai Havertz, but one player who could use some real competition is Bukayo Saka.
The club poster boy has been the first name on the teamsheet for several years now, but based on recent reports, he could soon have the perfect teammate to push him to new heights.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report from former BBC journalist Ibrahim Sannie Daara, Arsenal have enquired about the availability of West Ham United sensation Mohammed Kudus ahead of the summer transfer window.
While this is certainly exciting news for the Arsenal faithful, the same report also revealed that Manchester City, Real Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain have all done the same thing, while Liverpool are set to trigger the Ghanaian's £75m release clause in the coming weeks.
There is a lot of competition for the Gunners to overcome in this transfer battle, but with the club on the precipice of lifting major honours, they might be able to sell themselves better than the Reds.
Moreover, while Kudus could come in as a Saka challenger, his positional versatility could also see him take over from Kai Havetz as the number nine, replace Leandro Trossard as the long-term leftwinger, or even move into the midfield to partner Martin Odegaard.
Ultimately, it will be a tough deal to complete, but for £75m, the club should fight tooth and nail for it.
How Kudus could fit in at Arsenal
Now, there are several ways Kudus could come in and make Arsenal a better team. The first is as a serious challenger to Saka.
According to respected data analyst Ben Mattinson, the former Ajax ace is "very similar to Saka" in that he has an immense impact on games from the right, assisting his teammates and scoring goals himself.
Appearances
47
47
50
45
Goals
17
20
13
17
Assists
7
14
7
2
Goal Involvements per Match
0.51
0.72
0.40
0.42
For example, in just 20 starts on the right side of the attack this season, the "generational" forward, as described by journalist Gary Al-Smith, has scored 13 goals and provided one assist, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.4 games – an output similar to Saka's average of a goal involvement every 1.3 games from his 20 goals and 14 assists in 47 appearances.
However, what sets the Hammers star apart is his versatility. While he would likely come in to challenge the Englishman for that place on the right, he would also be able to play in multiple other positions, keeping the rest of the team on their toes and adding a new dimension to the North Londoners.
Appearances
39
42
7
90
Goals
20
14
3
23
Assists
5
3
2
9
Goal Involvements per Match
0.64
0.40
0.71
0.35
For example, in 42 appearances as a centre-forward in his career, the Accra-born sensation has scored 14 goals and provided three assists, meaning he averages a goal involved as the number nine once every 2.4 games. This isn't far off Havertz's return of a goal involvement every 1.9 games as a striker, coming from his return of 36 goals and 12 assists in 95 starts.
Finally, while the 23-year-old has played on the left a few times in his career and could, therefore, challenge the likes of Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli, his considerable experience playing in attacking and central midfield roles could allow him to flourish as a more attacking midfielder alongside Odegaard.
For example, in 46 games as a central midfielder, the 5 foot 9 ace has scored 11 goals and provided three assists, while in 44 games as an attacking midfielder, he's scored 12 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averages a goal involvement every 3.2 and 2.4 games, respectively.
Ultimately, it would be an expensive deal to complete, but signing Kudus would provide the club with a star who would genuinely challenge Saka. Moreover, his ability to start almost anywhere on the pitch would give Arteta a level of tactical freedom not offered by any other player.
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