Arsenal are poised to once again return to a Premier League rival for reinforcements, if reports are to be believed…
Is Joao Cancelo going to Arsenal?
The latest comes from German outlet Kicker, who detail the Gunners' pursuit of Manchester City star Joao Cancelo.
With the Portugal international having been banished to Bayern Munich for the latter half of last season, the Bavarian giants opted against activating their buy-out clause to keep him at the Allianz permanently.
This has opened up an opportunity for others to try and swoop for the out-of-favour full-back, who would add to most teams he joined.
The report states that the 29-year-old is top of Mikel Arteta's wish list, however, he has drawn up a number of alternatives for that role should they fail in securing his top target.
His expected transfer value of €55.6m (£48m) could prove troublesome given the money they are already set to expend this summer on players such as Kai Havertz and Declan Rice.
Should Arsenal sign Joao Cancelo?
Despite being snubbed by Bayern, that is not to suggest that the Portugal international did not impress during his short stint in Munich.
Maintaining a 6.96 average rating, he would record five goal contributions alongside an 85% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes and 1.5 tackles per game, via Sofascore.
He was his usual creative self from defence, but to return within a system akin to Arteta's, he could truly thrive.
Having been one of the first to popularise the inverted full-back role under Pep Guardiola, this defender defined a position that is becoming more and more commonplace in the modern game.
During the season in which it arguably reached its peak, Cancelo would boast a 7.33 average rating in the league, buoyed by his offensive figures rather than his work as part of the back line. One goal and seven assists gave way to 1.1 key passes per game, yet he would marry this with 2.3 tackles per game too, via Sofascore.
He was their fourth-highest-rated player within a term where they won the Premier League once again.
This form even led journalist Zach Lowy to laud him, comparing his talents to his exceptional Liverpool counterpart. He wrote: "This season, it seems like the biggest individual rivalry is between Trent Alexander-Arnold and Joao Cancelo. Two world-class footballers."
To now place this kind of quality into Arteta's side, allowing him to recapture that form as he is in the midst of his prime years, he could prove to be the catalyst that topples Guardiola's reign over English football.
After all, his presence inverting beside Rice, who is closing in on a move to north London, could prove remarkable.
The creativity of Cancelo would allow the West Ham United captain to thrive as a defensive asset, yet his own beginnings as a defender give him that well-rounded skillset to also allow the 24-year-old to showcase his offensive talents too.
Last term for the Irons, their midfield general would uphold a 7.19 average rating alongside one key pass, 2.1 tackles and 1.7 interceptions per game, via Sofascore.
These figures could be set to only increase further if placed alongside the Citizens' former favourite, who would join with a serious point to prove.
With a pairing that could defend, create and score all from the engine room, these two could spur each other on to true greatness.