Trossard! Let's use Sakanelli Score to quickly see how he compared to other winger targets
Leandro Trossard, welcome to the carpet.
Sounds like it’ll be 21m + add-ons.
I’ll be working on a full scouting report, which will probably be on its way tomorrow. In the meantime, you may remember that I got started in these parts by creating bullshit stats to rank transfer targets. Lately, I’d been working on Sakanelli Score, a new meaningless catch-all stat to rank winger options worldwide based on a bunch of factors, so I thought I’d pass this little graphic along.
It’s not a list of best players: it’s a list of best fits as an Arsenal winger based on a host of factors. As the fine print says, it includes quantitative (evaluating high-value stats like successful dribbles, carries, key passes, shot-creating actions, npxG, xAG, advanced tackles) and qualitative (versatility, readiness, and peak potential). Also includes league-adjusted FotMob rating to help normalize, inflated Transfermarkt numbers (based on the Boehly effect), and Sofascore attributes for Creativity, Technicality, and Attacking. Finally, it uses an age adjustment. It's all pretty dribble-heavy. It is an altogether unserious mathematical exercise. Don’t @ me.
As you’ll see, how you evaluate Trossard is a function of how much you care about his age. On the left, he’s 12th. On the right, when I pulled the age adjustment for all players and then cut down his top-line valuation to €30m, he’s up to 5th. In fairness, the overall sample skewed young.
This is about how I feel as well: would I have rather have seen Arsenal go big for a perfectly-suited, high-trajectory young talent? Sure. Are those players basically unavailable, as their teams are probably holding out for that Boehly Bag? Also, probably: yes.
The Trossard route makes a lot of sense. It serves the short-term without sacrificing the long-term, and as others noted, feels like the attacker version of the Douglas Luiz near-deal. A deal like this is virtually the best (only?) way to find value in the market right now.
The other option is betting on a player that is seemingly a “year early” — shooting for the equivalent of signing Enzo Fernandez, Mudryk, or Gnoto in a previous window instead of this one: players who aren’t “top 5 league proven” but may actually be ready to contribute immediately. On the winger front, players like Exequiel Zeballos and Ângelo Gabriel will probably command exorbitant fees in a year or two, but may be readier to roll than one may expect as it stands — but it may not be the kind of thing you want to bet a title chase on.
I’ve thought a lot about Trossard, and should have a scouting report on him (somewhat) soon. Until then, discuss!
How does Eden Zhegrova score in your system? Just curious, he seems utterly talented, defensively not too shabby. But there hasn’t been any big news about him