Arsenal make first contact to signal “the subsequent Mbappe”

Whereas defences are purported to win you leagues, that hasn’t been the case for Arsenal in latest seasons.

Mikel Arteta’s facet produced one of the best defence within the Premier League for the second successive marketing campaign this yr however as soon as once more ended up in second place, this time miles off Liverpool in first.

So, to shut the hole, the membership have to exit and signal an efficient ahead this summer season, somebody who might lastly get them over the road within the greatest competitions.

Thankfully, that appears to be the plan, as latest reviews have linked the membership to a striker who’s been in comparison with Kylian Mbappé and Alexander Isak.

Arsenal’s striker search

Given the membership’s comparative lack of firepower this season, the previous couple of weeks and months have seen Arsenal linked with loads of top-quality strikers, with maybe probably the most constant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sekso.

The previous has been on hearth for Sporting Cp, scoring 54 targets and offering 13 assists in 52 video games this season, and whereas he isn’t confirmed himself in a top-five league, his reported worth tag of round £54m does not really feel unreasonable.

However, Sesko might price as much as £75m, however he has that have of taking part in in a top-five league, and in 45 appearances for RB Leipzig this time period, he scored 21 targets and supplied six assists.

But, not too long ago, a extra prolific striker than the Slovenian and somebody youthful than the Swede has been touted for a transfer to the Emirates: Hugo Ekitiké.

Sure, in line with a latest report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are amongst a number of sides eager on signing the Eintracht Frankfurt star this summer season.

The report reveals that Arsenal and Manchester United have already made contact with the participant’s camp, whereas fellow Premier League rivals Liverpool, Chelsea, and Newcastle United are all ‘monitoring’ the Frenchman intently.

On high of coping with the competitors, the Gunners must stump up a hefty payment to get their man, with the report claiming that Frankfurt need as much as €90m for the participant, which comes out to about £76m.

It will be a pricey and complex switch to recover from the road, however given Ekitike’s means and potential, it is one price preventing for, particularly contemplating his comparisons to Mbappé and Isak.

How Ekitike compares to Isak & Mbappé

So, earlier than taking a look at why Arsenal may need to signal him and the similarities to Mbappé, it is price analyzing this comparability to Isak and the place it comes from.

On this occasion, it stems from FBref, which appears at gamers in comparable positions in Europe’s high 5 leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, earlier than creating an inventory of the ten most comparable gamers.

By doing this, it has been concluded that the Swedish worldwide is the sixth most comparable ahead to the Frenchman throughout the final three hundred and sixty five days.

One of the best ways to see how that is labored out is by looking on the underlying metrics by which the pair rank intently, together with however not restricted to anticipated targets, targets per shot, passing accuracy, passes into the penalty space, goal-creating actions, by balls and extra, all per 90.

On high of sharing a substantial variety of statistical similarities with the Newcastle star, the Reims-born gem has additionally been described as the “subsequent Mbappé” by many in France, per journalist Graeme Bailey, and whereas which may sound hyperbolic, it isn’t too exhausting to see the place they may very well be coming from.

For instance, just like the Actual Madrid star, the Frankfurt ace is a superb goalscorer, discovering the again of the web 22 instances in 48 video games this season, however can be one thing of a creator, producing 12 assists.

Furthermore, in line with FBref, the previous Paris Saint-Germain gem sits within the high 4% of forwards in Europe’s high 5 leagues for progressive carries and profitable take-ons, the highest 5% for anticipated assisted targets, the highest 6% for shot-creating actions and extra, all per 90.

In the end, whereas it would not be an affordable switch, Arsenal ought to do all they will to signal Ekitike this summer season, as he is confirmed himself able to scoring loads of targets, in addition to creating some – similar to Mbappé and Isak.

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