Arsenal have been linked to signing Real Madrid attacker Arda Guler in the January transfer window.
The Gunners are in a great position heading into the international break, one point clear of Liverpool at the top of the table. Arsenal are the favourites for the league, and Mikel Arteta will want to add even more talent in January to boost their chances to win.
They have been linked to signing Real Madrid attacker Arda Guler in the January transfer window, but suffered a blow in their pursuit of him, as reports in Spain are now claiming that Real Madrid insist that the 20-year-old Turkish attacker is not for sale, meaning that Arsenal will need to consider different targets.
If the Gunners are serious about signing a young attacker who can play in several positions, they should consider looking at a bargain from the Dutch Eredivisie.
Arsenal could sign Kristian Hlynsson instead
So many football clubs are basing their transfer business on data models, and so GoonerNews decided to utilise Data MB’s Player comparison tool to identify an alternative target to Guler who would be cheaper and, according to the data, just as promising.
The player who emerged was FC Twente attacker Kristian Hlynsson, who is a 21-year-old Icelandic youngster, who can play either as a centre-midfielder, attacking midfielder or a winger, making him just as versatile as Guler.
Furthermore, Hlynsson’s stats in terms of assists, key passes and dribbling almost matched up to Guler’s, meanwhile, his crossing stats are considerably better.
Last season, the 21-year-old spent half the season at Ajax, and half on loan at Sparta Rotterdam. Over the course of the year, Hlynsson made 30 appearances in all competitions, scoring four goals and providing three assists.
Furthermore, he is incredibly cheap for a player of his potential, as his current market value at Twente is under £5m. That means Arsenal could sign him for much cheaper than Guler, who would cost well over £40m, and get a player that the data indicates could be just as good. It’s a no brainer.
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