Wolverhampton Wanderers are blessed with loads of attacking expertise, a few of whom have carried out properly up thus far regardless of the powerful season in 2024/25. After all, one of the best of the bunch has been Matheus Cunha, who has ten goals and four assists within the Premier League this season, greater than every other Wolves participant.
One other participant performing virtually in addition to the Brazilian is striker Jorgen Strand Larsen. His mortgage transfer from Celta Vigo has been profitable on a private stage to this point, and he has seven targets and two assists within the high flight this time period.
Nevertheless, one participant who has not carried out properly this season is skilled attacker Pablo Sarabia.
Sarabia’s 2024/25 season to this point
It has not been marketing campaign for Spanish ahead Sarabia. He has merely not been capable of break into the staff below earlier supervisor Gary O’Neil, or present boss Vitor Pereira, which is probably stunning given his expertise.
The 32-year-old has played for some big clubs all through his profession. He made 151 appearances for La Liga facet Sevilla, performed 98 video games for French giants Paris Saint-Germain and 48 occasions for Portuguese membership Sporting.
You might properly assume that, with all that have, Sarabia would have been a very essential participant for the Outdated Gold. But, he has played just nine times in all competitions this time period, scoring as soon as within the Premier League in a 2-0 win towards Southampton.
Total, Sarabia’s report for the Midlands membership shouldn’t be nice, with simply six targets and ten assists in 58 appearances. Regardless of the expertise he brings, he has arguably left lots to be desired all through his time at Molineux.
Thus, it won’t be a shock to study that the Outdated Gold are contemplating new attacking reinforcements, and their Spanish attacker might be in line to get replaced if this deal will get achieved.
Wolves’ dream Sarabia improve
The participant in query right here is Moroccan worldwide winger Zakaria Aboukhlal. The 24-year-old, who at the moment plies his commerce at Ligue 1 facet Toulouse, is claimed to be ‘on the high’ of the record for Wolves, according to a report from Foot Mercato late final week.
The report advised that the Midlands membership are ‘following the Toulouse star very carefully and are hoping to draw him’, citing his versatility as a purpose that they need to deliver him throughout the subsequent couple of weeks.
Certainly, he has performed proper throughout the frontline for the Ligue 1 outfit this season, however the majority of his work has come as a right-winger, making him a like-for-like substitute for Sarabia, who additionally pays on the market.
This season, the Moroccan worldwide has impressed with six targets and two assists in 17 matches. Arguably his greatest second got here in a 3-0 win over Montpellier, the place he scored twice and grabbed an help, contributing to all three targets.
When it comes to his profile, the 24-year-old was described as a “1v1 specialist” by football analyst Ben Mattinson. That definitely highlights one among his greatest attributes, his menace in one-on-one conditions towards a defender, the place he won’t draw back from taking up his man.
Certainly, this excessive quantity and talent of ball-carrying from Aboukhlal are maybe one purpose why they’re all for signing him. In truth, the stats on FBref from the 2023/24 marketing campaign counsel he’s a greater service than Sarabia. Final season’s numbers have been used to, basically, get a much bigger pattern measurement.
Per 90 minutes final season, the Toulouse star averaged 2.74 progressive carries and 0.95 success take-ons. Each of those numbers are higher than Wolves’ quantity 21, who averaged 2.11 progressive carries and 0.88 profitable take-ons every recreation.
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Aboukhlal vs. Sarabia dribbling stats in contrast |
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|---|---|---|
|
Stat (per 90) |
Aboukhlal |
Sarabia |
|
Take-ons accomplished |
0.95 |
0.88 |
|
Take-on completion charge |
25.8% |
39.5% |
|
Progressive carries |
2.74 |
2.11 |
|
Carries into remaining third |
1.55 |
2.68 |
|
Carries into penalty space |
0.95 |
0.46 |
|
Stats from FBref |
||
There isn’t a doubt that Aboukhlal could be an improve on Sarabia. The Moroccan winger would deliver wonderful ball-carrying and an enormous one-on-one menace, one thing the Spaniard merely doesn’t provide, because the stats present. He’s additionally somebody who can rating and create targets and has achieved so greater than Sarabia this time period.
This might be an extremely good signing for the Outdated Gold, who could be including high quality depth to their facet and a novel menace which they don’t actually have in that proper quantity ten place.
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