He's better than Williams: Arsenal showing strong interest in £100m star
It’s no secret that a striker will be at the top of Arsenal’s transfer wishlist this summer.
However, with Liverpool having scored 17 goals more than them in the Premier League alone this season, a centre-forward won’t be enough; the Gunners will also need a new winger to complement Bukayo Saka.
Fortunately, there have been more than a few reports linking the club to a whole host of sensational wide talent in recent weeks, but perhaps the most consistent since last year has been to Nico Williams.
The Spanish superstar is an incredibly exciting player, but the North Londoners might be after a more sure bet, as recent reports have linked them with a Premier League star who’s like a better version of the Athletic Bilbao star.
Arsenal's summer transfer window
Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other stars Arsenal are reportedly keen on signing this year, with one of the leading names still being Viktor Gyokeres.
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The Swedish international has been in sensational form this term, scoring 44 goals and providing 11 assists in 45 appearances for Sporting CP, and, according to a recent report from Fabrizio Romano, remains a firm target for the Gunners.
Another attacker who seems to be on the North Londoners’ radar is Kingsley Coman, who looks set to leave Bayern Munich in the summer and could be available for around £39m.
However, given the Frenchman’s injury record and lack of involvement this term, he’s not a player that’s likely to excite the Emirates faithful, which couldn’t be said about Anthony Gordon.
Yes, according to a recent report from Football Insider, Arsenal hold a ‘strong interest’ in the former Everton star.
However, there are a couple of problems, with the first being interest from Liverpool and the second being the fact that Newcastle United will not want to let one of their star players leave, and should they qualify for the Champions League, it’s unlikely that they’d have to.
Moreover, reports from last year claimed that he’d cost at least £100m, meaning it would require a near club-record offer from the Gunners.
However, while it would be an expensive and complicated transfer to get over the line, Gordon would be worth it, as he’s a better version of Williams.
How Gordon compares to Williams
So, before we get into their output, it’s worth examining where the comparisons between the two wingers come from, beyond their positional similarities, of course.
Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Spaniard is the fifth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Englishman.
The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, goals per shot and shot on target, expected assists, passing accuracy, progressive passes and more, all per 90.
Non-Penalty Expected G+As
0.47
0.35
Progressive Passes
3.73
3.14
Goals per Shot
0.10
0.10
Goals per Shot on Target
0.33
0.26
Passing Accuracy
72.1%
70.4%
Expected Assists
0.20
0.20
Key Passes
2.08
1.86
Goal-Creating Actions
0.51
0.62
Successful Take-On %
37.6%
36.6%
However, while they do rank closely for many of those metrics, it’s important to note that the Newcastle United gem actually does slightly better in the majority.
This superiority over the Pamplona-born international extends into their output as well.
For example, in his 35 appearances this term, the “exceptional” Toon ace, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, has scored nine goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.18 games.
In contrast, the 22-year-old has scored ten goals and provided seven assists in 41 games for Bilbao, which comes out to a slightly less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.41 games.
Finally, while both players would undoubtedly improve Arteta’s squad, it might take the La Roja ace some time to get used to the Premier League, whereas the Liverpool-born maestro has already proven himself in the league and could make a real difference from the word go.
Ultimately, while it would be an expensive and complicated transfer to get over the line, Arsenal should do all they can to sign Gordon this summer, as he’d be an even better signing than Williams.
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