A team that once found itself mid-table is now consistently in the Premier League title race and poised to make a deep run in the Champions League, thanks to the strategic leadership of Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar.

This transformation can be largely credited to Arteta’s tactical expertise, but it has also been fueled by a series of outstanding signings. Key players like Martin Ødegaard, Declan Rice, and Gabriel Magalhães have become indispensable to the team’s success, highlighting the club’s impressive recruitment in recent years.

However, while the team are strong enough to contend for major honours, there is always room to improve, and based on recent reports, it looks like the North Londoners have set their sights on one of the most exciting attackers in the Premier League this season, an attacker who could spell trouble for Leandro Trossard.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from the Colombian publication AS, Arsenal are now one of several sides interested in signing Aston Villa star Jhon Duran and have already made contact over a potential deal.

The report indicates that both Arsenal and Barcelona are keen on securing the 20-year-old sensation. Chelsea and West Ham United were also linked to the player during the summer transfer window, further emphasizing the rising interest in his potential move.

However, the biggest hurdle for Arsenal isn’t the competition from these other clubs, but rather the player’s hefty price tag, which could complicate their pursuit of the Colombian international.

According to AS, the Villans want no less than €90m – £75m – for the incredible goalscorer, and while that is a lot of money, it’s not too surprising as he signed a new long-term deal earlier this month.

Overall, it would be an expensive and challenging transfer to get over the line, but based on his form this season, it is one well worth pursuing, even if it could spell trouble for Trossard’s long-term future at the Emirates.

Why Duran could be bad news for Trossard

So, the first thing to clear up is that during his time at the club, Trossard has proven himself to be an incredibly useful player and one that has often stepped up in important moments. Yet, he’s not a nailed-on starter, starting 45.5% of his 79 games for the club on the bench.

For example, when everyone is fit, the Belgian doesn’t start ahead of Kai Havertz up top, he doesn’t start ahead of Odegaard in the ten position, and more often than not, he hasn’t started ahead of Gabriel Martinelli on the wing for any considerable period.

Now, this isn’t a slight on the 29-year-old’s ability, as his haul of 20 goals and 13 assists for the club is more than respectable, but it does show that Arteta views his best role as the 12th man, or in other words, as a super-sub.

So, if the North Londoners were to splash upwards of £75m on the 20-year-old goalscoring “maverick”, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, who has done his best work off the bench for the Villans this season, where would that leave the Belgian?

Moreover, before Odegaard’s injury this season, the £27m man was often brought on when the team were looking for a goal, but when we look at his output this season and compare it to the Villa ace, there is no comparison.

For example, in his eight League games, the Waterschei-born ace has scored two goals, while the 20-year-old prospect has notched up four in as many games. Meanwhile, when you take into account League Cup, and Champions League matches, the Colombian has racked up seven goals in 12 appearances to the Gunners ace’s two goals and one assist in 11.

Ultimately, while Trossard can play in more positions than Duran, the sheer weight of goals from the Villa ace, his potential price tag, and proficiency off the bench mean that he could well be the ideal upgrade in Arteta’s eyes and, should this transfer go ahead, the former Brighton ace could see his playing time seriously dwindle at the Emirates.