Arsenal have been linked with a move for Augsburg star Baba Rahman.
According to a recent report in the German publication Bild, Arsenal are attempting to bring in Augsburg left-back Baba Rahman and have already met with club officials to discuss a transfer.
The North London outfit currently have Nacho Monreal and Kieran Gibbs for left-back cover, yet manager Arsene Wenger could see it as a position to strengthen this summer.
Rahman, a full Ghana international at the age of 20, impressed immensely in the Bundesliga last season and has attracted plenty interest from Europe’s elite clubs, as per a report in the Guardian.
If the Gunners are to go to the hassle of beating their rivals to his signature, then they will have to be fairly certain that he is an upgrade on what they currently have.
| Team | Tackles per Game | Interceptions per Game | Effective Clearances per Game | Headers won per Game | Take-ons per Game | Key Passes per Game | Accurate Crosses per Game | Appearances | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baba Rahman | Augsburg | 3.5 | 2.7 | 2.8 | 2.6 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.8 | 31 |
| Kieran Gibbs | Arsenal | 1.45 | 2.41 | 2.91 | 1.41 | 1.36 | 0.68 | 0.59 | 22 |
As per the table above, with Monreal’s statistics skewed due to his performances at centre-back, Gibbs provides the best like-for-like comparison for Rahman and the 20-year-old comes out favourably.
From a defensive perspective, the Augsburg ace recorded on average more tackles, interceptions and headers won than Arsenal’s England international per league encounter.
Moreover, Rahman appears to be considerably better as an attacking outlet, averaging more successful dribbles, accurate crosses and chances created per fixture.
The left-back slot is not exactly an area of weakness at the Emirates Stadium, although the opportunity to land one of the most talented fullbacks in Europe could prove too good to ignore.
The Guardian credit Premier League title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City as interested clubs, while Serie A trio Roma, Juventus and Inter Milan are also seen as potential suitors.
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