It hasn’t been easy for Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal so far this season.
The Gunners have pushed Manchester City hard in the title race over the past few years but have yet to taste any success so far. Now, it looks like things may get worse in the red zone of north London by 2024/25.
Ranked 3rd in the Premier Leaguethe Gunners are six points behind league leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand. It’s certainly a frustrating Christmas period for Arsenal.
With the January transfer window just around the corner, the Gunners could be eyeing some key reinforcements.
Arsenal target La Liga winger
The Gunners are believed to be targeting one of Europe’s most in-form wingers, Barcelona star Rafinha. It might seem strange for Barca to offload such an important player under Hansi Flick, but with funding issues still plaguing the La Liga giants, they may have no choice.
With a report from Graeme Baileythe Gunners “inquired about Raphinha in the summer and they are still in contact with the intermediary”. If there’s an opportunity to strike a deal over the winter, they could swoop in.
However, they are not the only team looking to sign the Brazilian. The report suggests title rivals Liverpool and Manchester City are also interested in striking a deal, having also shown a keenness to sign the winger last summer.
The article did not specify how much the winger would cost. However, Catalan club spends £55m Hailing from Leeds, a sale could fetch a similar price. However, Barcelona appear convinced they will not sell Raphinha.
How Raphinha compares to Bukayo Saka
Regardless of whether Arsenal can reach a deal to bring in the winger, there is no doubt that the 28-year-old will greatly improve the quality of the team. He has performed well for Barcelona so far in the 2024/24 season, scoring 17 goals and providing 10 assists in 23 games.
The winger has absolutely flown in that famous Barca jersey this season. Incredibly, only four players in Europe’s top five leagues have more goals and assists than him. According to FBref. That said, their teammates Robert Lewandowski has 18 goals and Omar Marmoush and Harry Kane both have 20 goals , while Mohamed Salah has 22 goals.
One thing is for sure, Rafinha will be an upgrade over Gabriel Martinelli, at least based on their numbers this season. It’s been a very disappointing season for the Brazilian so far, with just four goals and three assists In 22 games across all competitions.
He is averaging 0.31 goals and assists per game this season, compared to an impressive 1.17 for his international team-mates. This can certainly be considered a major upgrade.
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While Martinelli is struggling to regain form, the same cannot be said for Bukayo Saka. Arsenal’s number seven has scored nine goals and provided 12 assists in 22 gameswhich has been getting some good reviews lately. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry, Interviewed by BBC Sports’ “Football Focus”saying “the improvement in his game has been outstanding.”
Interestingly, a statistical comparison can be made between Raphinha and Saka by FBref. Both are left-footed wide players and both have impressive creative passing numbers this season. The Brazilian star averages 3.53 key passes per 90 minutes, while the Arsenal winger averages 3.04.
Rafinha vs. Saka 2024/25 key statistics | ||
|---|---|---|
State (per 90 people) | Rafinha | of |
key pass | 3.53 | 3.04 |
Pass the ball into the penalty area | 1.86 | 2.03 |
progressive pass | 4.68 | 3.91 |
progressive carry | 3.33 | 5.07 |
Goals and assists | 1.09 | 1.09 |
Statistics come from FB reference | ||
Not only will the Gunners get another player who can create chances, but one who can create goal-scoring opportunities in a variety of situations. The Barcelona star averages 5.89 shot chances created and 0.96 goal chances created. This is slightly lower than Saka, who averaged 6.43 shots per game and 1.52 goals per game.
If Arsenal are likely to pull off this deal, then signing Raphinha seems like a no-brainer. He has been described as “one of the best players in the world” former coach xaviand he certainly has the data to back that up. The Brazilian could be the man to help the Gunners climb back into the table.
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