Depay V Aubameyang: Which Barcelona Player Should Chelsea Sign? We Take A Look At The Numbers

Barcelona are expected to offload either Memphis Depay or Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang before the transfer window closes.

Both players are believed to be under consideration by Chelsea as potential transfer targets with manager Thomas Tuchel looking to strengthen his options in the attacking third of the pitch.

The pair have previous experience of the Premier League, with Aubameyang having a somewhat more successful time at Arsenal than Depay did at Manchester United, but we will be assessing their most recent performances in this post.

Press the next page as we look at which Barca player the Blues should sign (based on stats from FBRef).

Shooting

If we compare the two players at Barcelona last season, Aubameyang was the more effective in front of goal, with his xG being 3.9 below his actual goal total, compared to Depay’s 1.0

Aubameyang also averaged more shots per 90 (3.16) than the Dutchman (2.72) as well as scoring more goals per shot (0.29). The Gabonese international is undoubtedly the better finisher.

Touches In the Box

A key issue for Chelsea under Tuchel is the lack of threat inside the penalty area so it stands to reason that, if a forward is more likely to take touches in the box, he will provide more problems to an opponent.

On this metric, Depay comes out on top, averaging 7.57 touches per 90 in La Liga last campaign, compared to Aubameyang’s 5.25.

Assists And Key Passes

Creating chances is also an important aspect of any forward’s game. To measure assists, we have used xA per 90 as it gives us a clearer indication of a player’s creative output. Depay managed 0.19 per 90 minutes last campaign compared to Aubameyang’s 0.08.

When it comes to key passes (the pass directly before any shot on goal), Depay once again is superior, managing 2.18 per 90 for Barcelona, compared to Aubameyang’s rather less impressive 0.58.

Progressive Carries and Dribbles

Both players are known to be pretty good ball carriers so the assumption is that their metrics will be pretty similar in this regard. However, when we assess progressive carries, there is a night and day difference, with Depay managing 7.23 per 90 to Aubameyang’s 1.92.

In terms of dribbling, the contrast is just as severe, with the Dutchman attempting 3.20 per game, compared to the Gabonese forward’s 0.67.

Aerial Ability

It must be said that neither player is that good in the air. They both win a similar percentage of aerial duels (Depay 42.9% to Aubameyang’s 36.0%) but it isn’t their strong point.

In conclusion, while Aubameyang is undoubtedly the better finisher, Depay’s all-round game (based on last season’s performances) is superior by quite some distance.

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