Micah Richards says he would hate to play against 25-year-old Arsenal target

By Milo Clay

Micah Richards has told BBC Radio 5 Live that he would hate to play against Brighton attacker and reported Arsenal target Kaoru Mitoma. 

Mikel Arteta enjoyed a brilliant weekend in terms of results in the Premier League, with his side beating their rivals Tottenham and Manchester City dropping points in their local derby. 

The Gunners extended their lead at the top of the table to eight points but they were handed a blow in the transfer market. 

Arsenal’s top target Mykhaylo Mudryk completed a switch to Chelsea after the north Londoners failed to meet Shakhtar Donetsk’s demands. 

It’s led to Arteta’s men being linked with moves to a host of attackers since and 90 Min claims they hold an interest in Mitoma. 

While the Japanese forward is seen as a less-attainable target than his wantaway teammate Leandro Trossard, he’s put in some eye-catching displays for the Seagulls of late. 

And Richards has praised the 25-year-old for the impact he’s made on the south coast during his first season in England. 

Richards on Mitoma 

“I wouldn’t like to play against him because he’s too sharp. When I was playing against a winger I would always show him down the line but what he does is that he’s so smart and agile,” Richards told BBC’s Monday Night Club. 

“He runs at you and plays inside, then when he plays inside the midfielder plays the ball quick in behind you, so while you’re looking at where the ball goes, he’s running behind you. It makes it so difficult to get a hold of him. He never stops moving. He is always going into positions where you don’t want to be.

“When you are playing against a winger who is right footed playing on the left and he comes inside, you are thinking your job is done now, so you’re passing him on to the centre-half or the holding midfielder – but then he’s in positions where nobody is marking him and he’s so sharp with his one and two touch passing that he can dribble past you.”

Mitoma only signed for the Seagulls from Japanese outfit Kawasaki Frontale just over 18-months ago. 

He spent last season in Belgium after joining Union Saint-Gilloise on loan, where he scored eight goals and provided four assists. 

Mitoma is enjoying a brilliant start to his Premier League career and has already bagged three goals and one assist for Roberto De Zerbi’s men. 

But he would probably be better off continuing his development on the south coast for now, rather than making a move to a big club like Arsenal. The winger is clearly benefiting from playing regularly at Brighton and it’s unlikely that he would be able to force either Bukayo Saka or Gabriel Martinelli out of Arteta’s side.