Two games in, and it would be fair to say that Arsenal's pre-season preparations are going rather well thus far.
A team full of youngsters drew and then beat a nearly full-strength Bournemouth side on penalties last week, and then a slightly stronger team ran out 2-1 victors against Manchester United in the early hours of Sunday morning thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli.
While a good portion of the squad are now back together, a number of the Spanish and English contingents, including club poster boy Bukayo Saka, are still on holiday due to their run to the final of the Euros.
The Hale End superstar has barely had a moment's rest over the last few years, so signing some genuine competition is a priority this summer, a priority that, based on recent reports, Edu Gaspar and Co are tackling.
Arsenal transfer news
According to the Sunday edition of Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Arsenal have reignited their interest in Barcelona ace Raphinha.
The report claims that the Gunners are prepared to make an offer worth around €50m – £42m – for the Brazilian winger this summer. However, the report also reveals that Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal have already made a €65m offer, which converts to about £55m.
Yet, the good news for the Gunners is that the winger has no interest in moving to the Middle Eastern league at the moment.
Getting the former Leeds United star out of Barcelona this summer could prove costly, but given his talent and Arsenal's need for a Saka rival, it may well be worth it.
How Raphinha compares to Saka
So, if Arsenal are going to splash north of £40m on Raphinha to be the perfect competition for Saka this summer, he'll need to be able to come into the side and maintain a high level of performance on the right, even if there is a slight drop-off.
In which case, how does he compare to the Englishman? Well, when it comes to their output last season, the Hale End superstar predictably comes out on top. However, the Brazilian's numbers are still impressive and suggest he'd be able to perform at a high level for Arteta when needed.
For example, in his 47 appearances for the North Londoners last season, the Ealing-born gem scored 20 goals and provided 14 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.38 games – simply world-class.
In comparison, the "extraordinary" Barça ace, as dubbed by former manager Xavi, scored ten goals and provided 13 assists in 37 appearances for the Blaugrana, equating to a goal involvement on average every 1.60 games.
So, with it clear that the former Leeds star wouldn't be a dramatic downgrade in terms of pure output, how does he hold up when we look at their underlying numbers?
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.81
0.65
Progressive Passes
3.75
3.89
Progressive Carries
3.22
4.78
Shots
3.82
3.14
Shots on Target
1.32
0.96
Passing Accuracy
75.3%
75.6%
Passes into the Final Third
2.57
1.20
Passes into the Penalty Area
2.11
2.25
Key Passes
2.70
2.81
Shot-Creating Actions
5.86
5.80
Goal-Creating Actions
0.86
0.65
Tackles Won
0.53
1.08
Blocks
1.12
1.33
Clearances
0.72
0.74
Successful Take-Ons
1.58
1.51
Aerial Duels Won
0.59
0.71
Interestingly, while the Porto Alegre-born dynamo once again comes out a close second, he does emerge victorious in several important metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, shots and shots on target, passes into the final third, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.
Ultimately, given Saka's incredible ability, mentality, and consistency, it will be tough for Arsenal to find another rightwinger who is good enough to seriously challenge him for a place in the starting lineup. However, based on his output and underlying numbers, Raphinha might well be the club's best bet for a winger who could get close enough.
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Therefore, Edu and Co must do what they can to bring the Barça star to the Emirates this summer, as signing someone who would allow the club's talismanic number seven to rest more next season is of paramount importance.
