Ahead of a Premier League season which will be full of superstar names, managers are going to any lengths possible in the transfer window to build the best squads possible.
Following the widespread rumours of Manchester City’s interest in Arsenal’s Hector Bellerin, the gang at oulala.com decided to pit the right-back against City’s current full-back, and former Arsenal player – Bacary Sagna, in seven key areas to see how they compared in the Premier League last season.
The stats make it clear why incoming manager Pep Guardiola may want an upgrade in the role for his new side. Injury saw Sagna miss the early stages of 2015-16 and while he still recorded 28 appearances, his form never truly recovered. On the other hand, Bellerin played nearly every game of the campaign, maturing as a footballer before our eyes with every appearance.
The 21-year-old just edges his Sky Blue counterpart in terms of tackles and interceptions, but was far more useful for Arsenal when given the chance to move forward – registering an average of 1.8 successful take-ons per game. Sagna leads with more clearances and successful passes per game, but at 33-years-old is at the tail-end of his career.
Are the Citizens set to poach another defender from Arsene Wenger’s ranks?
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