Arsenal scout “excellent” £17m phenom who would be Trossard’s dream upgrade

In the grand scheme of things, Arsenal they have enjoyed a rapid rise up the football ladder in recent years.

Mikel Arteta he took the north Londoners from mid-table mediocrity to genuine challengers in the Premier League and Champions League.

However, this season felt like a step back, after a 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United in the League Cup during the week, it looks like they could once again end the campaign without a trophy.

There were disappointing performances across the field on Wednesday, including from Leandro Trossardwhich received a more than justified match rating of 5/10 by The Standard’s Simon Collings.

The Belgian has been unhappy throughout this season, so recent reports linking the club with an exciting winger to replace him shouldn’t come as much of a surprise.

Arsenal are hunting for a replacement for Trossard

According to a recent report from SpainArsenal are one of several teams very interested in Deportivo La Coruña winger Yeremay Hernandez.

Apart from the Gunners, the report claims fellow Premier League sides Manchester United, Chelsea and Newcastle United are all interested in the young Spaniard and already have scouts watching him closely.

While the level of competition could prove to be an obstacle to his signing, his price tag probably won’t, as another report from Spain earlier this week he revealed that the Galician side had placed a €20m release clause in his contract, which translates to around £17m.

It could be a tough transfer to get over the line, but given Hernandez’s performances this season, the potential some believe he has and Arsenal’s dire need for attacking reinforcements, it’s worth pursuing, even if it could spell trouble for Trossard.

How Hernandez compares to Trossard

So it’s no secret that after his brilliant comeback 17 goals and two assists in 46 appearances last season, Trossard has seriously disappointed this year.

As things stand, the Belgian international has just scored four goals and three assists in 28 games, which means he went from averaging a goal involvement every 2.42 games last year to an average of one every four games this year.

The former Brighton & Hove Albion ace can’t blame bad luck for his drop in production either, as his underlying numbers have also deteriorated significantly.

For example, according to FBref, he was in the top 3% attacking midfielders or wings for expected goals without penalties in the Premier League last season, while this year he is on top 36% for the same metric.

In short, the 30-year-old international seems to be rapidly losing his edge, and that’s where the exciting Hernandez could come into play.

Now, the 22-year-old has not experienced top-flight football before, so there is an element of risk in signing him, but he has been electric this season.

Let’s say, in just 17 appearances, an “excellent” prospect, as they call him respected analyst Ben Mattinsonhe scored seven goals and provided three assists, which means that he averaged a goal every 1.70 games.

Moreover, his underlying numbers are downright phenomenal.

According to FBrefhe ranks in the top 1% of midfielders in the following top 14 competitions for actual and expected non-penalty goals, total shots, progressive transfers, successful take-ons, touches in the opposition penalty area and more, all at 90.

Ultimately, Trossard’s days as a viable option on the wing for Arsenal appear to be numbered, and while there is an element of risk in signing Hernandez, his raw power and fundamental numbers are so good that the risk is worth taking.