Leading the pack: Arsenal favourites to land "insane" 41m Saka rival
Leading the pack: Arsenal favourites to land "insane" 41m Saka rival
Arsenal are a club that have dramatically transformed over the last few years.
From missing out on the Champions League places in 2021/22 to just missing out on the semi-finals last season and pushing Manchester City to the final day of the Premier League campaign.
Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar have overseen a total overhaul of the playing squad during their tenures in North London, but one thing that hasn't changed is the importance of poster boy Bukayo Saka.
The Hale End superstar has been an ever-present in the team over the last few years despite being just 22 years old, although based on recent reports, the Englishman could soon have a genuine rival to push him forward and give him the chance to rest as well.
Arsenal transfer news
According to Belgian outlet GVA, Arsenal are one of several clubs interested in PSV's star winger Johan Bakayoko.
Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that the Belgian's name has been mentioned at Liverpool and Bayern Munich.
However, the good news for the North Londoners is that they seem to be the favourites, with the story claiming that they are the 'most concrete' option at present.
According to the report, Arsenal will have to pay around €45m - £38m - to get their man. While that's not cheap, it might prove value for money based on his performances last season, especially as he could become a genuine rival for Saka.
How Bakayoko compares to Saka
Now, the first thing to say is that Saka is clearly one of the most important players at Arsenal and one of Arteta's most trusted stars. In the last two seasons alone, he has played 7616 minutes of senior football.
So, while Bakayoko is an incredibly talented winger and someone who could provide the Englishman with some serious competition, it would be unfair to expect him to come into the club this summer and immediately be on the same level as the Hale End superstar.
That said, how do the pair compare? From a pure output perspective, the Ealing-born gem comes out on top with a staggering 20 goals and 14 assists in 47 games last season.
However, while the "insane" PSV prospect, dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, can't quite match those numbers, his haul of 14 goals and 14 assists in 48 appearances - an average of a goal involvement every 1.71 games - is genuinely impressive and suggests that he could undoubtedly chip in from the right when called upon.
How about their underlying numbers, then? Is it another win for the North Londoners starboy?
Well, interestingly, the two wingers come out looking rather even. For example, the Gunners ace emerges victorious in metrics such as his non-penalty expected goal and assist figure, progressive passes, shot and goal-creating actions, tackles, blocks, interceptions, ball recoveries, and aerial duels won, all per 90.
Whereas the Belgian "entertainer", as dubbed by Mattinson, looks better in statistics like actual non-penalty goals and assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, passing accuracy and successful take-ons, also all per 90.
That said, the fact that the PSV star plays in a much weaker league must be considered when comparing his underlying numbers to those of a player in a top-five league.
Ultimately, Saka needs a rival on the right in this Arsenal side, not just to help him push on and get even better but also so he doesn't have to play every minute of football for the next three seasons. Therefore, considering his performances last season, signing Bakayoko this summer looks like a brilliant idea.
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