Arsenal has found a gem with a £27 million signing whose value now surpasses that of Caicedo.
The determined Arsenal player is finally getting the recognition he deserves.
Crisis? What crisis? Just a month ago, Arsenal faced harsh criticism.
Mikel Arteta’s team had suffered three consecutive losses – only two in the Premier League – leading many to dismiss their chances in any title race discussion.
However, four consecutive wins, including a dominant victory over rivals Liverpool and an away triumph against West Ham United, have put Arsenal back in contention for domestic success.
The Gunners’ frontline has finally started scoring again, but another key player deserves equal, if not more, praise, a man whose worth has risen above Premier League record-breaker Moises Caicedo in recent months.
Arteta’s signing has reached top-tier status.
The individual in question has been one of the linchpins in Arteta’s squad in recent years, forming one of the most formidable defensive partnerships in the country alongside William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhães.
The Brazilian began his senior career with Avai Futebol Clube in 2016 before moving to Ligue 1 outfit LOSC Lille a year later in 2017.
After a brief stint with the second team, the 6-foot-3 defender went on loan to Troyes and Dinamo Zagreb between 2017 and 2018.
However, he eventually broke into Les Dogues’ first team during the 2018/19 season, featuring in 14 Ligue 1 matches before playing 24 the following season, aiding the team to a second-place finish.
Former Lille president Gerard Lopez hailed the young center-back as a “true warrior” with “immense physical presence” in 2020, and his impressive displays caught Arsenal’s eye that same year. Following relatively straightforward negotiations, he made his way to north London, with £27 million heading the other way.
