Andrea Berta ignites Arsenal chase of striker who’s won more duels than Gyokeres this season in half the time | OneFootball

Arsenal are already turning their attention to a potential new striker after Andrea Berta added Inter Milan’s Francesco Pio Esposito onto his radar – and the stats suggest he could fare better than Viktor Gyokeres if given time.

Gyokeres was a big-money buy for Arsenal in the summer and although he could become a Premier League champion in his debut season, the former Sporting CP striker hasn’t full convinced. Thus, the Gunners are being linked with other centre-forwards who could take over from the Sweden international in the long term.

One of the latest names they are reportedly monitoring is Esposito, the youngest of three brothers who have all come through the Inter system and the one with the highest ceiling.

After impressing on loan in Serie B with Spezia, Esposito was promoted to the Inter first-team squad for the Club World Cup. He has since scored six goals from 33 games for the Serie A leaders, as well as three from five for Italy since making his senior international debut in September.

According to FootballTransfers, Arsenal are aware of Esposito’s rise to prominence. Sporting director Andrea Berta has reportedly asked his scouts to give detailed feedback on the 20-year-old.

As things stand, Esposito is said to be near the top of Arsenal’s wish list for a new striker in the summer – although it isn’t inferred that that means the end for Gyokeres, since the report explains they would view the Italian as a rotation player at the start of his Premier League career.

However, the stats he has put up this season have been promising. Esposito has amassed 811 minutes of gametime in Serie A, which is 51% of Gyokeres’ Premier League tally of 1581 minutes.

In that time, though, Esposito has won more duels than Gyokeres, outranking him with 63 compared to 50.

Adjusting their stats per 90 minutes, Esposito averages more shots on target (1.4 compared to 0.8), chances created (also 1.4 compared to 0.8) and touches in the opposition box (8.7 compared to 5.9).

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It must be stressed that some of the positives that Gyokeres has brought to Arsenal are harder to measure statistically, such as his movement and how he occupies defenders.

But at an age seven years older than Esposito, Gyokeres hasn’t been able to provide an assist in the league this season. Over in Serie A, Esposito has three.

Esposito has a contract with Inter until 2030, so they presumably would fight to keep him. Moreover, FootballTransfers has been hit and miss with some of their transfer claims.

But Esposito could be one to keep an eye on in the coming months as he makes a name for himself.

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Elsewhere on the striker front, Arsenal have also learned if Real Madrid will sell them Endrick after his loan spell at Lyon.