Shock move: Report claims Arsenal want £73m dream Havertz rival
da 888： Arsenal have started their Premier League campaign in the best way possible this season, with two wins and two clean sheets to boot.
da blaze casino： Mikel Arteta's side still aren't at their free-flowing best, but they looked comfortable at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers and managed to come away from Villa Park with all three points, unlike last year.
Moreover, with two assists and a goal to his name already, Bukayo Saka has picked up where he left off, as has Kai Havertz, who scored and assisted in the match against the Old Gold.
However, the German international was quieter against Aston Villa, and it was perhaps his lack of impact in that game that has motivated Edu Gaspar and Co to step things up in the transfer market, as the latest reports have linked the Gunners with an ideal rival for the former Chelsea ace, although it's a move that has the potential to send two fanbases into pandemonium.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a recent report out of Spain, Arsenal are now interested in signing Liverpool forward Darwin Núñez.
The report claims that the Gunners have 'set their sights' on the Uruguayan as they continue to look for attacking reinforcements before the transfer window slams shut on Friday night.
Interestingly, the report has revealed that the North Londoners are looking to exploit the uncertainty around the 25-year-old's future under new manager Arne Slot, although the Reds would demand a fee in the region of £73m to sell him, which could throw a spanner in the works.
In all, it would be a costly and potentially unpopular transfer to get over the line, but given Arsenal's need for another striker and the glimpses of brilliance Núñez has shown in the past, it could be one worth pursuing, especially as he could push Havertz to get even better.
How Núñez compares to Havertz
Okay, so the first thing to recognize is that at the moment, Havertz is Arteta's preferred option at number nine, meaning that if Núñez was to make the shocking move to North London before the window closes on Friday night, the German international would be his primary competition to start at the sharp end of the pitch.
So, with that said, how do the pair stack up against one another?
Well, from an output perspective, it's a little bit complicated. For example, the Liverpool star scored 18 goals and provided 13 assists in just 54 appearances last season, equating to a goal involvement every 1.74 games.
In contrast, the Gunners number 29 scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 51 appearances last season, meaning he maintained a still impressive but slightly worse average of a goal involvement every 2.42 games.
So looking at these numbers, the Reds' "agent of chaos", as dubbed by football writer Leane Prescott, is the better centre-forward, right? Not necessarily.
The numbers look slightly different if you compare the games in which the pair played as an out-and-out number nine last season.
For example, the former Benfica played 49 games as a striker for the six-time European Champions in 23/24, in which he scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists, equating to a goal involvement every 1.81 games.
Núñez vs Havertz in 23/24
Player
Núñez
Núñez at CF
Havertz
Havertz at CF
Appearances
54
49
51
18
Goals
18
16
14
8
Games
13
11
7
7
Goal Involvements per Match
0.57
0.55
0.41
0.83
All Stats via Transfermarkt
However, in the 18 matches the former Chelsea star played as Arsenal's central striker last season, he scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning he produced a seriously impressive average of a goal involvement once every 1.20 games.
Now, this doesn't mean that the Aachen-born poacher is a far better striker than the Liverpool ace, but it does suggest that the potential battle between them for a place in the starting lineup would be closer than some might have imagined.
Ultimately, even though Havertz was able to produce more impressive numbers as a number nine than Núñez, the Uruguayan international is still an incredibly talented player, and while it could be a move that divides the fanbase in the beginning, he'd undoubtedly bring more quality to Arsenal's attacking options. Therefore, if a reasonable fee can be agreed upon, Edu and Co should look to get this deal over the line.
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1 ByJack Salveson HolmesAug 28, 2024