Arsenal have been linked to a La Liga star ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his squad this summer.
The Gunners have followed Spanish teen Ivan Fresneda since January, however, there may be a pending breakthrough in their pursuit of the starlet
What’s the latest on Ivan Fresneda to Arsenal?
As reported by one Spanish publication, the Real Valladolid defender will be available for half the price than expected, following the club’s relegation from La Liga.
Prior to their demotion to the second division, the 18-year-old’s release clause has halved from €40m (£34m) to just €20m (£17m).
The report claims that Arsenal are joined by Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund in maintaining long-standing interest in the youngster.
What could Ivan Fresneda bring to Arsenal?
At just 18, the Spaniard made 22 appearances in La Liga this campaign, and was lauded as being one of the ‘revelations of the season’ by Matt Clark of La Liga Lowdown.
The La Liga expert described the youngster as ‘remarkably complete’ with a strong ‘technical ability’, which suggests he could be a strong fit for Arsenal, particularly when considering right-backs that have graced the Emirates prior.
Former Arsenal right-back and fellow Spaniard Hector Bellerin could see the glory days of his stint in north London emulated by the Madrid-born teen, should he opt to trade Valladolid for Islington.
Bellerin burst onto the scene in 2014, making his debut aged 19 after spending some time in Arsenal’s academy from Barcelona.
Following his debut, the youngster rarely slipped out of the surroundings at the Emirates, and was hailed by Arsene Wenger as being a player that was “dangerous going forward” as well as committing to defensive duties.
Similar praise has been placed upon Fresneda, with Clark saying in full: “He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.”
Approval from viewers of the duo’s talents isn’t as far as the comparisons go, with their numbers from various campaigns supporting claims of their similarities.
In Bellerin’s dominant 2017/18 season at Arsenal in the Premier League, the defender showcased his attributes going forward and defensively, highlighted by statistics via Sofascore.
The Spanish speedster created eight big chances, while maintaining an average pass accuracy of 85% per game and unleashing 54% successful dribbles per match, showcasing his strength going forward.
As per Sofascore, similar numbers were recorded by the teenager in La Liga this campaign, carving out three big chances, an 81% passing accuracy and a 44% rate of successful dribbles per game.
While his numbers are expectedly lower than Bellerin’s in his prime compared to this term being his breakthrough, the pattern is there to portray the similarities between the two and the impact he could replicate at Arsenal.
Defensively, the 18-year-old mirrors Bellerin’s 0.7 interceptions per game, and exceeds the former Premier League ace’s rate of tackles per game, recording an impressive 2.2 to the former Arsenal defender's 1.6 in the 2017/18 term.
Arteta could secure the signing of a young right-back that could give fans glimpses of the highs that Bellerin gave to the Emirates in the past, and at such a young age, could develop into a formidable force in the Spaniard’s future defence.