Marcus Thuram can be the fix to Arsenal's striker issues
TRANSFERS
Marcus Thuram has been in fantastic form this season at Borussia M'gladbach scoring 13 goals and assisting 5 in 17 appearances. Thuram has been M'gladbach star player and has been crucial to their season so far. Without him they would be much lower down in the table. Arsenal have been linked with the Frenchman recently and here we are going to analyse if he would be a good signing.
Marcus Thuram is a quality finisher who averages 0.62 goals per90 putting him in the 95th percentile. He takes a large volume of shots averaging 3.65 shots per 90 putting him in the 92nd percentile. The Frenchman is constantly looking to see if he can take another effort on goal and test the keeper.He constantly finds himself in good positions in the box, which will be a joy to hear for Martin Odegaard, who can find the striker with his exceptional passing and vision.
Thuram’s output is incredible with 13 in 17, this is down to his incredible accuracy when shooting with 50% of his shots going on target putting him in the top 6% of strikers in Europe. His finishing ability would seriously help an Arsenal side who lack a quality goal-scorer.
The Frenchman is also an incredibly direct dribbler, who likes to run at his opponents using his speed and power to beat defenders. He is excellent at beating his man in a variety of ways. This is an attribute that is needed in Arsenal wingers and his dribbling ability will help the Arsenal carry the ball forward and with much more speed. Thuram averages 3.13 dribbles attempted and completes 1.71 of them, which puts them in 89th and 95th percentile.
Furthermore, the M'gladbach forward is often used as a focal point in which his teammates can work off of. When the ball is fizzed to his feet, Thuram can turn and run at his opponents or lay the ball off for his teammates. At 6 '4 Thuram is always a potential aerial threat who can offer a different physical profile to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
Thuram’s ability to help create chances for his teammates is understated, he averages 2.88 shot-creating actions per90 and 0.50 goals-creating actions per90. He is a very creative player in the final third and he can link-up his teammates with ease but in terms of the build-up he is quite uninfluential.
Thuram only plays 18.46 passes per90 putting him the bottom 25% of strikers in Europe.His accuracy isn't much better, completing 13.07 of them giving him a passing accuracy of 70.8%. The Frenchman’s inaccuracy when passing is something Arsenal should be looking at when deciding on signing him. Arteta likes his strikers to be able to pass the ball around and get involved in the transition.
Thuram also isn’t a strong presser, who regularly sits off opponents and lets them pass the ball around. He’s more focused on scoring and creating goals rather than contributing to his team when they do not have possesion. He usually waits for his teammates to press and when they win the ball back he springs back into action with his incredible movement.
Arteta’s forwards are expected to be adept pressers of the ball, who can force opposition defenders into mistakes. For Thuram to fit in Arteta’s plans for when they are out of possession, he must improve his desire to press but also learn how to press properly.
Overall, Thuram would be an incredible buy for Arsenal and would add some much needed conviction and power. His magnificent movement and ability to put the ball in the back of the net, would make Arteta’s side into a much better team. Additionally, the Frenchman's contract runs until the end of this season, so he would be available for only £15 million. At such a small price, Thuram would be a signing with almost no risk attached, Edu should definitely try and get a deal done.
