Serie A star admits Arsenal ‘dream’

Robin Bairner

• 19 Jun 2023 07:52 BST
• 3 min read

Arsenal have been sent a come-and-get-me plea by a Serie A star who has made a quick adaption to life in Italy’s top flight.

Cyril Ngonge only joined Hellas Verona in January, but the 23-year-old winger has impressed in his early weeks with the club. In 14 Serie A appearances, he already has three goals and an assist to his name.

Hampered by injury in the final weeks of the season, he was unable to save his side from relegation and already has his eyes set on greater things, admitting that he would love to play with Mikel Arteta’s side on day.

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"My dream has always been to play for Arsenal. But now I'm in Italy, I love it so I might even want to stay. Just kidding, of course," he told TuttoMercatoWeb.

"My future is clear at the moment. I still have two years on my contract with Verona, so I'd say this is it."

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Who is Cyril Ngonge?

Ngonge is a former Belgium U19 international but the 23-year-old has not progressed any further in the national team setup to date.

He was previously with Eredivisie side Groningen, where he scored 10 goals and created three more in 43 games over 18 months.

According to data analytics experts SciSports, Ngonge performed among the best wingers in Serie A in terms of several key offensive metrics, including crossing, dribbling and finishing.

A clear weakness in his game, though, is his defensive contribution, which was weak for a Verona side battling against relegation. He also lacked stamina compared to his peers in Italy’s top flight.

Arsenal will not be interested in him until he tidies up these aspects of his game, but he is certainly a player with the potential to make a step up from Verona.