Edu is lining up a surprise Arsenal bid for Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount this summer as he looks to add more strength to Mikel Arteta’s squad.

What’s the latest on Mason Mount to Arsenal?

According to GOAL, Arsenal are reportedly looking at making a move for Mount during the summer transfer window in order to improve their squad ahead of a likely place in the Champions League next season.

The Englishman is expected to leave Chelsea in the summer having failed to agree on a new contract at the club and this could set the wheels in motion surrounding a potential move.

Arteta will face stiff competition from the likes of Liverpool and Newcastle United, while both Manchester clubs could be keen too, as per the report.

Could Arsenal sign Mason Mount?

With just one year remaining on his current deal, Mount could leave the Blues this summer for a cut-price fee to avoid departing for free in 2024 and this could tempt Arteta into a move.

He would add serious quality to a side who will be looking to win trophies and compete with the finest talent in the Champions League, while the £80k-per-week star is also statistically similar to Martin Odegaard, as per FBref.

The Norwegian has been one of the Gunners’ best performers this season, scoring 12 goals and holding an average rating of 7.38/10 (via Sofascore) as he has led by example this season during the club's title push.

Therefore, signing someone similar to the midfielder could be a wise move by the Spaniard ahead of next season.

Indeed, the duo have registered similar statistics in regard to their pass success rate (80.5% to 75.2%), goal-creating actions per game (0.54 to 0.38), tackles won (20 to 19) and crosses (84 to 64), suggesting that they both offer a wide range of qualities to their respective teams.

Journalist Benjamin Lynch declared Mount as “generational” late last year and has emerged from the academy to reach nearly 200 matches for Chelsea, winning the Champions League along the way.

We think Arsenal need more players in their squad who are similar to Odegaard in terms of mentality and skill level if they want to build a team that could rival the Manchester City juggernaut over the next few seasons.

Signing Mount would be an excellent start in their preparations for next term, and with the likelihood of him moving on from Chelsea this summer, the Gunners must act swiftly.