Arsenal Transfer Rumours: Alexis Sanchez Or Antoine Griezmann?

Atletico Madrid are interested in poaching Alexis Sanchez. The Spanish club can have him if Arsenal get Antoine Griezmann in return.

There are, in any football season, many prevalent storylines that tend to dominate much of the news, the discussion and sometimes, even results. For Arsenal, this year is centred on the future of two men: Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil.

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Much has been said regarding their futures, with little ever being clarified. Even now, uncertainty is the prevalent feeling surrounding the duo. Both have repeatedly delayed contract talks over the past 12 months, there have been conflicting reports and statements throughout that time and now, some rather ambitious, unfounded, misleading and mistaken rumours and reports are surfacing.

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It is difficult to know what or who to believe and it is even more difficult to form an insightful, incisive and informed opinion. The latest rumour to arise focuses on the future of Sanchez. According to reports, Spanish club Atletico Madrid are interested in signing the Chilean, hopeful that he can replace the potentially exiting Antoine Griezmann, who has equally been linked with a move away, in particular to Manchester United most recently, but also to Arsenal.

So, amid such uncertainty which is veering on sadness, I thought it’d be fun to pose the question: Alexis Sanchez or Antoine Griezmann?

The first, and perhaps most important thing to recognise, is their respective ages and prices. Sanchez is now 28 while Griezmann is only 25. That is significant. Their fees would likely be fairly similar if the two had the same remaining years on their contracts. However, with Sanchez only have one year left (assuming this scenario takes place in summer as it would be unlikely to happen in January), he will be cheaper than Griezmann by perhaps as much as £20 million.

Statistically, the two are also very similar. In their career, Sanchez has scored 112 goals and 66 assists in 290 games while Griezmann has scored 109, though has only assisted 26, in 278 games. Moreover, the two moved to Arsenal and Madrid respectively in the same summer, 2014. In the Premier League, Sanchez has scored 42 goals, assisted 19 goals in 85 games. Griezmann has scored 51 goals, assisted 10 in 91 games.

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Both, then, have similar career stats and more recent stats. Both excel in the free-roaming, attacking role, both boast great pace, with a direct style, willing to run at opposing defenders and both are goalscorers. The decision of one or the other, then, ultimately comes down to the balance of age and cost, and for me, Griezmann wins that argument.