Arsenal are quietly conducting their business in the Premier League this season and are firmly on track to challenge for the title yet again, but Mikel Arteta will recognise the importance of strengthening his side in January.
Despite a few hiccups, the Gunners are third in the table heading into the November international break, just one point off league leaders Manchester City, and despite not quite offering the same captivating flair as last year, are arguably more mature and cohesive as a unit.
Of course, Arsenal have not blitzed into action in the same manner but do look sustainable in their craft, and injecting a fresh element of creativity could pay dividends, and this seems to be why Juventus' Federico Chiesa is of a vested interest.
Arsenal transfer targets – Federico Chiesa
According to Italian outlet Tutto Juve, Arsenal are among the Premier League outfits lining up an offer to add Chiesa to the ranks, though will face fierce competition from Newcastle United and Chelsea.
The Magpies in particular are willing to spend in excess of £52m to sign the dynamic Italy international, having been hit with a deluge of injuries to key personnel over the first months of the campaign.
But Arteta will care not, and indeed press to steal the target away from Eddie Howe, securing an exciting new offensive weapon to open up a fresh dimension and increase the chances of gleaning silverware this season.
Federico Chiesa's style of play
A stylish and artful attacking outlet, Chiesa has been a leading forward on the Serie A scene since joining Juventus from Fiorentina on a two-year loan in 2020, making the move permanent for €40m (£35m) transfer in 2022.
However, the 42-cap international suffered an ACL injury last year and missed 62 matches, detrimentally hampering his development, but did return to form with four direct contributions across the final five league outings last term.
Capable of thriving across both wings and in a central attacking role, the 26-year-old, who was hailed as a "wizard" by writer Roger Bennett, is the ideal addition to Arteta's blooming project, offering dynamism and versatility in abundance.
Having once been dubbed "world-class" by ex-footballer Alessandro Pierini, Chiesa's signature would be well worth the money – fitness permitting – offering the alacrity needed to return the Gunners to last season's incredible attacking wow factor while not negating the overall fluency.
His contract with the Old Lady expires in 2025 and is likely contributing to the recent swarm of transfer attention, and should Arsenal secure his signature, not only would they get their hands on a brilliant new gem but they would also secure their new version of esteemed former star Alexis Sanchez.
How Federico Chiesa compares to Alexis Sanchez
While the Gunners are performing at a greater level than the days when Sanchez plied his trade in north London, it's hard to dispute that the Chilean forward was not one of the most exciting and destructive forces on English shores after joining the club from Barcelona in a £35m transfer in 2014.
Over 166 appearances, Sanchez scored 80 goals and supplied 45 assists, instrumental in winning two FA Cups and the Community Shield and praised as a "winner" and a "class, class player" by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.
Of course, the 34-year-old departed the Emirates in slightly acrimonious circumstances, joining Manchester United in a swap deal with Henrikh Mkhitaryan in January 2018 following a failed move to Guardiola's City in the summer, leading Arsenal icon Ian Wright to state that he "clocked off."
But this does not take away the brilliance of most of his time in London, having been one of the Premier League's most clinical and fear-invoking forces.
Season
Apps
Goals
Assists
G/A Rate
17/18
19
7
3
0.53
16/17
38
24
11
0.92
15/16
30
13
5
0.60
14/15
35
16
8
0.69
*Sourced via Transfermarkt
Chiesa, while not channelling the same sharpness over his career, has proved to be a deadly attacking outlet and could improve Arsenal immensely through his protean ability and aptitude across numerous roles.
As per FBref, the Italian ranks among the top 6% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for progressive passes, the top 2% for progressive carries, the top 8% for successful take-ons and the top 3% for tackles per 90.
Chiesa boasts the creativity to serve as a weapon not constrained to mere direct threat, instead weaving the Gunners frontline together and bringing the best out of peers such as Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka and captain Martin Odegaard.
And given that he plundered four goals from Juventus' opening five matches of the Serie A term, he evidently boasts the cutting edge to pose a direct threat too.
Sanchez might be approaching the twilight of his illustrious career and not at the same imperious standard as before, but he still offers some of his core impressive attributes, ranking among the top 6% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 15% for successful take-ons and the top 18% for tackles per 90.
These are elements of his game that paved the foundation for his prolific success with Arsenal, qualities that are tailor-made for the energetic, possession-heavy style of Arteta at present.
With Arteta's side firmly in contention for the Premier League title and battling hard to advance into the latter phase of the Champions League after several years away, Chiesa is the dream addition to bolster the fold, and now it largely falls down to whether the club would sanction a bid that matches the £52m that Newcastle are believed to be willing to pay.
Should he stay fit, Chiesa would slot right in, and could open the door to a new level of offensive impetus that could sway the odds in Arsenal's favour as they look to do one better this year and leapfrog Manchester City into the title-winning ascendancy after the new year.
