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Arsenal are enjoying another fruitful season of football this campaign, and despite falling to defeat at the hands of Aston Villa last weekend and drawing 1-1 away to PSV during the week, Mikel Arteta’s men are just a point off top spot in the Premier League and through to the knockout rounds of the Champions League.
Much of the Gunners’ success this year has been built off of a steely defence and dogged midfield, with the free-flowing attacks of last season not quite there yet.
However, with the January transfer window fast approaching, the north Londoners have the opportunity to add some more firepower to their attack, and it looks as if they might just do that.
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The latest player to be linked with a move to the Emirates is a striker who has already played in England and has been likened to Rasmus Hojlund: Moise Kean.
Arsenal transfer news – Moise Kean
According to reports from Italy (via TEAMtalk), Arsenal’s desire to sign a new striker in 2024 could lead them to pursue the Juventus forward and former Everton striker.
The Italian attacker has been plying his trade with the Old Lady for a few years now, mostly on loan, but officially rejoined the side in March of this year for a fee in the region of £25m.
His time at Everton wasn’t great, with just four goals coming from his 39 games, but in Turin, he has shown some of the form that got him the move to Merseyside in the first place, scoring eight times in all competitions last season.
The Gunners would be unlikely to get a discount on that valuation.
However, with football talent scout Jacek Kulig lauding Kean as a “huge talent”, £25m might still prove to be value for money in the long run, especially given the price Hojlund went for in the summer – a striker similar to the Juve man.
Moise Kean could be Arsenal’s Rasmus Højlund
Now, there might be some trepidation among Arsenal fans that a player who just couldn’t get to grips with English football only a few years ago would be a poor signing to make during a title charge, and there is some validity in that thought process.
However, even in his backup role at Juventus, Kean has shown that there is a great player in there and that he could become a brilliant striker with the right coaching – potentially from Arteta.
He compares quite well to several very talented strikers across Europe as well, with FBref including Dominic Solanke, Dusan Vlahovic and Hojlund among the ten most similar.
Moise Kean Most Similar Players via FBref |
||
---|---|---|
Position |
Player |
Club |
1 |
Jørgen Strand Larsen |
Celta Vigo |
2 |
Beto |
Everton |
3 |
Luis Javier Suárez |
Almeria |
4 |
Yoane Wissa |
Brentford |
5 |
Alexander Sørloth |
Villarreal |
6 |
Dominic Solanke |
Bournemouth |
7 |
Dušan Vlahović |
Juventus |
8 |
Cyle Larin |
Mallorca |
9 |
Terem Moffi |
OCG Nice |
10 |
Rasmus Højlund |
Manchester United |
The Danish number nine hasn’t actually opened his Premier League account just yet, but based on his performances, he really should have – having netted on five occasions during United’s ultimately flawed Champions League run.
The £72m marksman certainly showcased his undoubted potential in European competition and is evidently a work in progress for Erik ten Hag’s side, someone who could well blossom at Old Trafford over the coming years.
Such is his talent, the 20-year-old even gave Gabriel a run around in Arsenal’s 3-1 victory over the Red Devils earlier this season, subsequently being hailed for his “aggressive” display by pundit Gary Neville.
So how do Kean’s underlying numbers stack up to the former Atalanta man’s? Quite well, it turns out.
The “fearless” 23-year-old, as described by Thomas Tuchel, comes out on top in several key metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes, goal-creating actions, tackles and interceptions, and even aerial duels.
Moise Kean vs Rasmus Højlund |
||
---|---|---|
Stats (per 90) |
Kean |
Højlund |
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists |
0.46 |
0.36 |
Progressive Passes |
2.12 |
1.14 |
Progressive Carries |
0.96 |
1.25 |
Shots on Target |
0.38 |
0.57 |
Goal-Creating Actions |
0.19 |
0.00 |
Shot-Creating Actions |
2.29 |
2.72 |
Tackles + Interceptions |
1.54 |
0.45 |
Aerial Duels Won |
1.35 |
0.68 |
Stats via FBref for the 2023/24 Domestic Season |
Ultimately, Kean is clearly not the finished article, like Hojlund, but if he came into an Arsenal team that is on the up with a manager who has proven his ability to work with young players, then this could be a transfer in which everybody wins.
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