Arsenal may have already welcomed one top midfielder into their ranks this summer, shattering their transfer record; and yet he could still prove to be the second-biggest deal made to bolster their engine room.
Is Joshua Kimmich leaving Bayern Munich?
With Declan Rice having joined in a £105m move, the England international officially became the second-most-expensive English player ever just behind Jude Bellingham.
Mikel Arteta hopes that his presence will underpin a dynasty in north London, set to challenge for the foreseeable future for every elite honour.
However, if reports from June were to be believed, the Gunners also had their eye on a move for Bayern Munich star Joshua Kimmich, aiming for one of the paramount midfield generals in world football.
The 28-year-old still has two years left on his mouth-watering £323k-per-week deal, but could likely be tempted by the evolving project at the Emirates.
He is valued at €67.9m (£58m) by Football Transfers, which would still represent a remarkable coup should he be attained for a similar price.
How good is Joshua Kimmich?
Whilst his potential arrival might overshadow the signing of Rice, it is likely that they would immediately strike up a partnership rather than step on each other’s toes.
After all, the former West Ham United captain is far more defensive-minded than Kimmich, who last term enjoyed a standout year offensively.
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.
That rating and his key passes made per game would have made him comfortably the best performer in both of those categories when compared to Arsenal’s squad last term.
He was imperious all over the pitch, and his injection of energy and experience would prove vital in toppling Pep Guardiola’s treble-winners, especially considering the eight Bundesliga titles and sole Champions League the midfielder has won.
Although two years on, there is precedent to suggest that the following statement made by journalist Muhammad Butt still rings true. “Joshua Kimmich is the best midfielder in the world," he claimed.
This notion was somewhat supplemented by Bundesliga writer Alex Chaffer, who also branded 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.
Partnering such offensive impetus with the solidity Rice would provide holds great promise, as they are clearly both extremely talented and have varied enough play styles to complement each other.
Last season in the Premier League, the England powerhouse maintained a 7.19 average rating of his own, as his 88% pass accuracy, 2.1 tackles, 1.7 interceptions and 1.5 clearances per game helped him shield his back four with ease, via Sofascore.
Comparing him against the same group as Kimmich, it is instead interceptions where he stars, ranking in the top 5% per 90.
This should emphasise just where his play style remains, and exactly why he would complement a potential new partner.
Hammers boss David Moyes even lauded him for his defensive intelligence back in 2020, noting:
“In my mind, he is arguably the best holding midfield player in the country and the best thing about Declan is he will get better.”
Despite how difficult a deal this would be to make, his potential move will still have fans salivating at the prospect of this monstrous new-look partnership that Kimmich and Rice could form.
