Why Arsenal Signed Christian Nørgaard: A Set-Piece Specialist

Christian Nørgaard recently became Arsenal’s third recruit of the summer.

The former Brentford captain arrives for an initial £10 million, signing a two-year deal with an option for a further year. His modest transfer fee and Premier League experience make him a low-risk, high-function addition as Arsenal focus resources on strengthening their attack.

So what makes Nørgaard an appealing option for Arsenal, and why does the signing make sense tactically and strategically, especially in relation to one of the Gunners’ greatest strengths: set pieces?

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Perfect Fit for Arsenal’s Set-Piece Machine

Arsenal under Mikel Arteta have become one of the Premier League’s most sophisticated and dangerous teams from set plays, thanks in no small part to the influence of set-piece coach Nicolas Jover. 

Attacking Set Plays

Nørgaard scored five goals last season — his highest-scoring campaign in the Premier League — and remarkably, 9 of his 11 Premier League goals have come from set pieces, giving him an 81.8% ratio of set-piece goals. That’s the highest in Premier League history for any midfielder with 10 or more goals.

PL Midfielders	Goals	Set-Piece Goals	% From Set Pieces
Christian Nørgaard	11	9	81.8%
Vinnie Jones	13	8	61.5%
Graham Hyde	11	6	54.4%
David Platt	13	7	53.8%
Ivan Campo	13	7	53.8%

Nørgaard had a total of seven shots from set pieces last season - more than any other midfielder — even edging out more attack-minded players like Eberechi Eze and Mikel Merino.

Most Shots from Set-Pieces (Midfielders, PL 24/25)	Shots
Christian Nørgaard	7
Mateo Kovačić	6
Eberechi Eze	6
Mikel Merino	5
Tomas Soucek	5

He’s also among the league’s elite in terms of expected goals (xG) from set plays since his Premier League debut in 2021. Only his new teammate Gabriel Magalhães and Newcastle’s Fabian Schär rank higher.

Top xG from Set-Pieces (PL since 21/22)	xG
Gabriel Magalhães	14.44
Fabian Schär	10.55
Christian Nørgaard	10.26
Virgil van Dijk	9.75
Virgil van Dijk	9.63

Nørgaard has shown intelligent movement and sharp anticipation to consistently create chances from set plays. His ability to time runs and react quickly inside the box makes him a constant threat, while his 1.85m frame gives him the physical presence to dominate aerially in both attacking and defensive situations.

Defending Set Plays

But Nørgaard doesn’t just contribute goals. He was also the Premier League’s top midfielder for first contacts on defending corners in 2024/25, with 20 clearances. He also won 61.9% of his aerial duels, the 11th-best rate among midfielders in the league.

First Contacts From Defensive Corners (PL 24/25)	First Contacts
Christian Nørgaard	20
Wilfried Ndidi	14
Ryan Christie	11
Casemiro	11
Tomas Soucek	11

This addition is no coincidence. Arsenal are reinforcing a core principle of their game model — winning the margins through detail, structure, and repeatable set-play scenarios. Nørgaard’s aerial ability, timing, and intelligence are well-matched with Arsenal’s drilled routines and precise deliveries from the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard, and Declan Rice.

What Comes Next?

While not the headline-grabbing name fans may have been expecting, Christian Nørgaard is a highly strategic addition: a player whose Premier League readiness, tactical discipline, and elite set-piece data make him an ideal fit for a team looking to gain every possible advantage in their pursuit of titles.

Arsenal almost certainly considered Nørgaard’s set-piece strengths when identifying him as a transfer target.

Could this signal a broader trend — where more clubs begin factoring set-piece impact into their recruitment strategies?