Arsenal may have already signed one great midfielder this summer, busting their transfer record, but he still might end up being the second-largest acquisition made to strengthen their core.
Does Joshua Kimmich intend to leave Bayern Munich?
Declan Rice, an English international who cost £105 million to acquire, is now officially the second-most expensive English player in history, just below Jude Bellingham.
Mikel Arteta expects that his presence in north London will support a dynasty that will contend for every top honor for the foreseeable future.
But if June rumors are to be believed, the Gunners also had their eye on a deal for Joshua Kimmich of Bayern Munich, one of the top midfield generals in the sport.
Although the 28-year-old still has two years left on his mouthwatering £323k per week contract, the developing project at the Emirates may tempt him.
He is valued at €67.9 million (£58 million) by Football Transfers, so acquiring him for a similar sum would still be a fantastic accomplishment.
Joshua Kimmich: How excellent is he?
Although Rice’s signing might be overshadowed by his possible arrival, it is more likely that they would work together right away rather than stomp on each other’s toes.
After all, the former captain of West Ham United is far more defensively oriented than Kimmich, who last season had an outstanding offensive year.
Featuring 33 times in the Bundesliga, the German international maintained a 7.73 average rating, buoyed by his 11 goal contributions, 90% pass accuracy, 2.4 tackles and 2.7 key passes per game, via Sofascore.
When compared to Arsenal’s team from previous season, he would have been by far the greatest performance in both of those areas based on his rating and the number of important passes he made per game.
He was dominant around the pitch, and his enthusiasm and wisdom would be crucial in defeating Pep Guardiola’s treble champions, especially in light of the midfielder’s eight Bundesliga crowns and lone Champions League victory.
Even though it has been two years, precedence suggests that journalist Muhammad Butt’s statement still holds true. He proclaimed that Joshua Kimmich was the world’s top midfielder.
Alex Chaffer, a journalist for the Bundesliga, added some support to this idea by calling him a “mentality monster.”
To emphasise his attacking excellence, when compared to other midfielders across Europe he sits in the top 6% for assists per 90, the top 4% for shot-creating actions per 90, and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref.
The combination of Rice’s stability and such offensive vigour has immense potential because they both possess exceptional talent and play in sufficiently different ways to compliment one another.
According to Sofascore, the England powerhouse had a 7.19 average rating in the Premier League last year thanks to his 88% pass accuracy, 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions, and 1.5 clearances per game, which enabled him easily protect his back four.
When compared to Kimmich’s peers, it is his interceptions that stand out, with a top 5% per 90 rate.
This should underline where his playstyle is still consistent and why he might be a good fit for a new partner.
Even in 2020, Hammers manager David Moyes praised him for his defensive acumen, writing:
The best thing about Declan is that he will become better, in my opinion making him perhaps the best holding midfield player in the nation.
Fans will still be salivating at the thought of this gigantic new-look partnership that Kimmich and Rice could develop, despite how challenging a transaction this would be to make.