According to SportBild, Arsenal have tabled €60 million bid to sign Dayot Upamecano. However, it seems RB Leipzig have already rejected their proposal. They are unwilling to sell the player unless any interested party meets his €100 million release clause. But, for Arsenal, is he really a better option than another prime defensive target in Daniele Rugani?
Style of play
Upamecano is predominantly known as a ball-playing defender. He is blessed with immense positional sense and is capable of augmenting the build-up play with his excellent passing range. The Frenchman is also adept in moving the ball forward and finding teammates in the final third with his laser focussed passes.
Another critical aspect of Upamecano’s game is his physical prowess. The defender boasts a tall 185m frame that makes him an intimidating presence for the opposition. He is quite good at reading the ball as well. It is coupled with his tenacity and athleticism that has made the 20-year-old one of the most sought-after defenders in Europe.
Much like Upamecano, Rugani is also known for his ability to distribute possession. The Italian international is a solid passer of the ball. He can carry the ball out from the back as well and generally remains entirely composed over the ball. The Juventus star is significantly taller than Upamecano, standing at 190m. It gives him a considerable advantage in aerial duels.
Statistical comparison
It’s kind of unfair to compare the statistics given how little the two players played last season. Hence, we will only be considering the per 90-minute metrics.
As mentioned earlier, both the players are excellent passers of the ball, but Rugani has a significantly higher pass completion of 90% compared to Upamecano’s 82%. However, it’s only fair to point out that Juventus’ domination in domestic football allows their players to play with more possession and freedom.
Besides, the Frenchman averaged three accurate long balls per 90 mins compared to the Italian’s 2.1. Upamecano is also better at reading the game, having averaged a whopping 2.3 interceptions. It is considerably more than Rugani’s 1.1.
Additionally, the 20-year-old is much more proactive in tackles, making 1.7 challenges per 90 with an astonishing success rate of 88%. Rugani, in contrast, had averaged only 0.7, which is too small a figure to take into consideration when trying to figure out the success rate.
Both the defenders are quite close in clearances (Upamecano 3.4, Rugani 3) and aerial statistics (Upamecano 3.2, Rugani 2.7). But, the Italian has a better success rate when it comes headed duels. He has a win ratio of 69% compared to Upamecano’s 65%, which is not bad at all.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored
Verdict
Upamecano is the superior of these two defenders, even though both of them are incredibly talented. The Frenchman, at the age of 20, is already regarded as one of the most promising defenders in Europe. He is also a better well-rounded defender when compared to his Italian counterpart.
At the same time, he is considerably more expensive than Rugani, which probably evens things out. But either way, for now, Upamecano remains an unrealistic target for Arsenal due to his staggering €100 million valuation.
