A Saka & Olise hybrid: Arsenal in contact over signing £70m “superstar”

Mikel Arteta has built a squad full of superstars at Arsenal over the last six years.

From William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes at the back, to Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze in midfield, there is quality everywhere you look.

However, when it comes to the Gunners’ most important player, it’s hard to look past Bukayo Saka.

On top of being an exceptional player, the Englishman has become the face of the club, so fans should be excited about reports linking them to an international star who has been compared not only to Saka but also to Michael Olise.

Arsenal target Saka & Olise hybrid

With the transfer window now less than a month away, Arsenal have unsurprisingly begun to be linked with a host of brilliant players.

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For example, Real Madrid’s £70m Eduardo Camavinga has been touted for a move to the Emirates, as has Nottingham Forest’s monstrous centre-back Murillo.

However, as talented as those two players are, neither one can be compared to Saka nor Olise, unlike Rodrygo.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, Arsenal are once again in the picture for the Madrid star.

In fact, the report has revealed that the Brazilian is now keen to leave the Spanish giants in January, and his camp has been back in talks with several sides, including the Gunners.

However, in addition to convincing the player of the project, the North Londoners will have to offer a fee tempting enough for Madrid, who, according to the report, value their player between £70m and £79m.

Therefore, it would likely be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Rodrygo’s immense ability, it’s one worth pursuing for Arsenal, especially since he’s been compared to both Saka and Olise.

How Rodrygo compares to Saka & Olise

So, before getting to his output and other reasons Arsenal should be looking to sign Rodrygo, it’s worth examining these comparisons to Saka and Olise and where they come from.

Well, in this instance, both stem from FBref, with the Bayern Munich star being ranked as the 6th most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Brazilian in Europe’s top five leagues across the last 365 days.

The Englishman, on the other hand, was ranked as the third most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Real Madrid star in the Champions League last season.

You can gain a better understanding of how these conclusions were reached by looking at the underlying numbers in which the wingers rank or ranked, in the case of Saka, closest in.

In the case of the Frenchman, these metrics include things like passes into the final third, successful take-on percentage, carries, ball recoveries and more, all per 90.

Passes into the Final Third

3.33

3.80

Passing Accuracy

83.8%

81.4%

Successful Take-On %

34.4%

37.5%

Ball Recoveries

4.87

4.60

Carries

51.0

59.5

The metrics that formed the basis of the comparison to the Gunners’ mercurial number seven last season included shots, assists, clearances, successful take-ons, shot-creating actions, and more, all per 90.

In other words, the former Santos gem was contributing in attacking phases for Madrid in the Champions League last year, but also chipped in defensively here and there.

Progressive Passes Received

10.3

10.2

Shots

2.57

2.61

Assists

0.21

0.24

Shot-Creating Actions

3.70

3.67

Clearances

0.72

0.60

Successful Take-Ons

1.8

1.67

With all that said, another reason the North Londoners should be all over this signing, in addition to the comparisons, is the fact that, at his best, the 24-year-old winger can be a reliable source of goals and assists.

For example, since moving to Spain, he has racked up a brilliant tally of 68 goals and 53 assists in 286 appearances, totalling 16599 minutes.

That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.36 games, or every 137.18 minutes, which is made all the more impressive given that Real arguably are the most high-pressure club in world football, with sky-high standards and expectations.

Moreover, the Osasco-born monster has racked up a sensational tally of 25 goals and 16 assists in 67 Champions League games, which, when considered alongside his two titles in the competition, more than justifies Luka Modrić’s claim that he’s a “world-class superstar.”

Ultimately, while it won’t be easy, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Rodrygo in January, as he could be a totally game-changing addition to Arteta’s squad.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Dec 3, 2025