Arsenal Transfers: Wenger Should Sign This £25m Rated Winger If He Wants To Have A Balanced Side

Arsenal have been long time admirers of Schalke star Julian Draxler and there were rumors of a possible move in January. However, the move did not happen and is now supposed to take place in the summer, but fresh rumors have surfaced linking Real Sociedad’s £25m rated winger Antoine Griezmann with a possible move to Arsenal in the summer.

So should Arsenal follow up on their initial interest in Draxler or they overlook him in favor of Griezmann? The answer depends on what Arsenal’s requirements are.

Antoine Griezmann

If Arsenal are looking for a high flying winger who is capable of scoring goals and focuses on getting into the right areas when required to score goals, then Griezmann should be the man they should look to sign. The Frenchman has been outstanding for Sociedad this season and has managed to score 15 goals in 24 league appearances adding up to the 10 goals he scored last season.

However, Griezmann’ creative influence is comparatively limited as the focus is more on scoring goals than creating chances for his team mates. He creates on an average one chance a game – 24 chances (3 assists) this season and 37 chances (3 assists) last season. Also, he is a lot less reluctant to take players on – 29% success from 86 attempted take ons last season while the number is marginally better at 37% success from 46 attempted take ons this season.

Julian Draxler

On the other hand, if Arsenal are looking for a player who plays in a wider role but is able of creating chances for his team with scoring goals less of a priority, then Draxler is the man for Arsenal. Draxler’s numbers have suffered this season, 17 chances (4 assists) in 16 league appearances, due to a long injury lay-off and he has not been as effective as last season when he created 45 chances (3 assists) in 30 league appearances.

Draxler may not be as prolific as Griezmann in terms of finding the back of the net, he does score his fair share of goals, having scored 10 goals last season, although he has managed to score just one this season. However, the one thing that Draxler is good at is taking on defenders – 60% success from 120 attempted take ons last season while the number is even better at 77% success from 97 attempted take ons this season.

The Verdict

While both players have their strengths, who Arsene Wenger chooses to pursue will depend on the tactics he wishes to employ next season. If Wenger wishes to continue in a similar setup to the one Arsenal currently employ, then Draxler seems to be the automatic choice for him. However, if Wenger wishes to employ a more balanced setup with a player similar to Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain or Theo Walcott playing from the opposite wing as well, then Griezmann will be the better fit.

Stats taken from squawka