LILLE, FRANCE – MAY 06: Edon Zhegrova of Lille OSC competes for the ball with Caio Henrique Oliveira Silva of AS Monaco during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Lille OSC and AS Monaco at Stade Pierre Mauroy on May 6, 2022 in Lille, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)
Style of play
The 23-year-old is your typical winger. He possesses excellent ability on the ball and often shows his skills as he weaves around defenders with his trickery. He is also a superb dribbler, which bodes well in the Premier League as he can become isolated against a defender and then go to work – much like Bukayo Saka.
He is also adept and even relishes the defensive side of the game and goes at it with full commitment, something that is a prerequisite for Mikel Arteta.
Some will look at his numbers and think that they aren’t very good. Yes, they are a small sample size, but such is his ability with the ball at his feet; many have named him the ‘Kosovan Lionel Messi.’
Is that enough? For most probably not, but when we look at what he has done regarding shot creation for Lille, he registered 5.94 shot-creating actions since his arrival in January. That alone is seriously impressive. No Arsenal player averaged above five per 90 minutes last season.
He has tremendously quick feet which allows him to shift the ball to open up an alternative angle in a flash – similar to Gabriel Martinelli. He has that initial burst of speed to get around his opponents which then creates ample opportunities for others.
Even though he has not played the number of minutes nor garnered the experience we would like him to have if he did make a move to north London, Zhegrova could prove to be a big problem for defences once he gets his feet beneath him.
He has great dribbling ability, is an early crosser (which bodes well for Jesus and others) and can strike the ball with ferocity.
Continued on next slide…
Fabio Vieira from FC Porto</a>. Once news broke about Arsenal’s interest in the midfielder, the club had already secured the deal.</p>
<p>Now, we see a similar thing happening with Edon Zhegrova from Lille. Next to nothing was known about the 23-year-old until now.</p>
<p>Several reports were floating around that the Gunners had even submitted a bid for the winger, though the fee has not been disclosed.</p>
<h2>Everything you need to know about Arsenal transfer target Edon Zhegrova</h2>
<p>So, let’s learn a little more about Edon Zhegrova, shall we?</p>
<h2>Early career</h2>
<p>Born in Herford, Germany, the winger was a part of several youth setups growing up, and at a Milan Junior camp in Kosovo, he was chosen as the best player.</p>
<p>In 2017, he got his big break as he signed with Genk in the Belgian top-flight. During his time with the team, he appeared 27 times; scoring five goals and grabbing three assists.</p>
<p>In 2019, Zhegrova joined Basel on a loan deal. The tricky winger would go on to feature 73 times for the club; scoring 11 goals and providing 17 assists. He would then sign a three-year deal to remain permanently with Basel as his performances continued to show through.</p>
<p>https://twitter.com/afcstuff/status/1544789277996982272?s=20&t=rZmYYO_Aft7HrHh2GDgjDw</p>
<p>Because of his displays, he caught the eye of French club Lille. In January 2022, the club announced they had signed him from Basel on a four-year deal.</p>
<p>Lille President Olivier Letang did not hold back in his admiration of the winger.</p>
<p>Letang said via <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://www.football.london/arsenal-fc/transfer-news/who-is-edon-zhegrova-arsenal-23722252">Football London</a>:</p>
<blockquote><p>“He has an interesting profile which is why Edon had a number of propositions. He has fantastic qualities, and an ability to cause problems for any defence.</p>
<p>“We are delighted that he has joined Lille.”</p></blockquote>
<p>Since arriving in Ligue 1, Zhegrova has scored twice in his 13 games. Now, it appears that Arsenal is in for the 23-year-old.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Style of Play </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-127551 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2133,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1240492655.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2133" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240492655.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1240492655-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">LILLE, FRANCE – MAY 06: Edon Zhegrova of Lille OSC competes for the ball with Caio Henrique Oliveira Silva of AS Monaco during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Lille OSC and AS Monaco at Stade Pierre Mauroy on May 6, 2022 in Lille, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Style of play</h2>
<p>The 23-year-old is your typical winger. He possesses excellent ability on the ball and often shows his skills as he weaves around defenders with his trickery. He is also a superb dribbler, which bodes well in the Premier League as he can become isolated against a defender and then go to work – much like Bukayo Saka.</p>
<p>He is also adept and even relishes the defensive side of the game and goes at it with full commitment, something that is a prerequisite for Mikel Arteta.</p>
<p>Some will look at his numbers and think that they aren’t very good. Yes, they are a small sample size, but such is his ability with the ball at his feet; many have named him the ‘Kosovan Lionel Messi.’</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">74th Minute to equalise for Lille in April</p>
<p>Edon Zhegrova<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://t.co/3ErlZk8JHW">pic.twitter.com/3ErlZk8JHW
<p>— Haych (@AFCHaych) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/AFCHaych/status/1544805671308337152?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 6, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></div>
<p>Is that enough? For most probably not, but when we look at what he has done regarding shot creation for Lille, he<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://fbref.com/en/players/34a88e3e/Edon-Zhegrova"> registered 5.94 shot-creating actions</a> since his arrival in January. That alone is seriously impressive. No Arsenal player averaged above five per 90 minutes last season.</p>
<p>He has tremendously quick feet which allows him to shift the ball to open up an alternative angle in a flash – similar to Gabriel Martinelli. He has that initial burst of speed to get around his opponents which then creates ample opportunities for others.</p>
<p>Even though he has not played the number of minutes nor garnered the experience we would like him to have if he did make a move to north London, Zhegrova could prove to be a big problem for defences once he gets his feet beneath him.</p>
<p>He has great dribbling ability, is an early crosser (which bodes well for Jesus and others) and can strike the ball with ferocity.</p>
<p><em>Continued on next slide…</em></p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background: #c01f2f" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> The Downside </a>
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<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-127552 size-full" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_2134,w_3200/https%3A%2F%2Fpaininthearsenal.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2017%2F07%2F1239113520.jpeg" alt="" width="3200" height="2134" srcset="https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1239113520.jpeg 3200w, https://paininthearsenal.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2017/07/1239113520-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 3200px) 100vw, 3200px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">LILLE, FRANCE – MARCH 11: Edon Zhegrova #23 of Lille OSC controls the ball during the Ligue 1 Uber Eats match between Lille OSC and AS Saint-Etienne at Stade Pierre Mauroy on March 11, 2022, in Lille, France. (Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Areas of concern</h2>
<p>The obvious downside for Zhegrova is that he hasn’t played that much top-flight football. Just 405 minutes for Lille. For players coming from overseas, the transition to the Premier League is often a tough one and unlike anything they have faced before.</p>
<p>His physical stature could also prove troublesome, as we know Premier League defenders are not shy about throwing their weight around. Nicolas Pepe failed to get fully up to speed after shining for Lille in Ligue 1 and it will be a big jump up for Zhegrova.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Arsenal have submitted an offer for Lille winger Edon Zhegrova, according to <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/arlindsadiku89?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>@arlindsadiku89! 🇽🇰</p>
<p>Could he be the mystery winger the Gunners are chasing? 👀<a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/Zhegrova?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#Zhegrova</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/Arsenal?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#Arsenal</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/hashtag/AFC?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>#AFC</a> <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://t.co/xbc7SSaIWd">pic.twitter.com/xbc7SSaIWd
<p>— AFTV (@AFTVMedia) <a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://twitter.com/AFTVMedia/status/1545000171846524928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%22>July 7, 2022</a></p></blockquote>
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<p>That is not to say that he will not flourish, as we know by now not to doubt Mikel Arteta’s taste in new signings, but there are a couple of things that do raise some concerns with the 23-year-old.</p>
<div class="embed ">
<blockquote class="wp-embedded-content" data-secret="PpKZh7180R"><p><a href=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/07/arsenal-bernd-leno-edging-closer-fulham-move/">Arsenal Transfers: Bernd Leno verbally agrees to join Fulham on three-year deal</a></p></blockquote>
<p><iframe class="wp-embedded-content" sandbox="allow-scripts" security="restricted" style="position: absolute; clip: rect(1px, 1px, 1px, 1px);" src=https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/08/everything-need-know-edon-zhegrova/2/"https://paininthearsenal.com/2022/07/07/arsenal-bernd-leno-edging-closer-fulham-move/embed/#?secret=PpKZh7180R" data-secret="PpKZh7180R" width="500" height="282" title="“Arsenal Transfers: Bernd Leno verbally agrees to join Fulham on three-year deal” — Pain in the Arsenal" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" marginheight="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p></div>
<p>Both can be easily rectified, and given that he will likely be a bench player, that might aid his acclimatisation period. He will not be expected to come in and set the world on fire like record-signing Pepe was. He can go about his business on the training ground and work on getting better.</p><!—pageview_candidate—>">
