Premier League

Memphis Depay: Stats comparison to Arsenal's attackers

The Dutchman has missed most of the season due to injury, but the Gunners are still looking to bring him back to the Premier League

 
7:00am on Sunday 5th July 2020
By
Martin Macdonald

In the first few months of the 2019/20 campaign, few players were playing to the level of Memphis Depay at Lyon.

The former Manchester United winger netted nine goals and assisted a further two in Ligue 1, while also scoring five goals in five appearances in the Champions League group stage. Overall, he made 16 goal contributions in 23 starts for Lyon.

Then, in the middle of December, his season finished prematurely after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament tear in a league match against Rennes.

Thereafter, Lyon struggled to a seventh place finish in Ligue 1, with the competition ending after 28 games following the coronavirus pandemic.

The only way they can qualify for the Champions League now is by winning the tournament, and should they fail to do so, they will need to sell some of their prize assets.

Even though Memphis has been injured, his scintillating form in the first portion of the season still makes him a wanted man, particularly by Arsenal, according to reports emerging this week.

Le 10 Sport suggests that Mikel Arteta sees the Dutchman as an ideal replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette should either of them leave the Emirates this summer.

With his contract due to expire in 2021, Memphis could be available for as little as £20m.

Depay v Arsenal attackers

As Memphis has played less games than his Arsenal counterparts this season, we'll look at his average stats P90 minutes (league matches only) and we can see he compares favourable in most metrics.

League performance 19/20

StatDepayAubameyangPepeLacazette
Non-Pen Contributions P900.880.590.520.63
Completed Dribbles P902.00.53.61.2
Key Passes P902.20.71.81.3
Big Chances Created5553
Shots P904.22.72.32.9
xG+xA P900.640.580.480.6
*League minutes only

As you can see from the table above, Depay outperforms all three main Arsenal forwards in all of these metrics. Relative strength of competition in Ligue 1 versus Premier League left to one side, the Dutchman's 0.88 non-penalty contributions P90 is well clear of the Gunners trio.

Depay's multi-functional nature both as a wide player, playmaker and indeed central forward, where he featured for the Dutch national team in qualifying (and provided five goals and five assists) makes him a valuable asset. He completes more dribbles and makes more Key Passes than the Arsenal players, which his xG+xA combined remains ahead of all three.

26 yrs - S, AM (C) - Lyon
89
Defending
Creative
Passing
Attacking
Shooting
Decisive
Aerials
Physical
JavaScript chart by amChartsLDefendingCreativePassingAttackingShootingDecisiveAerialsPhysical10-10-5051015100%
1022
Played matches
13
9
2
Shots P90
4.23
Shots On target P90
1.85
Dribbles P90
2.03
Man of the match
4

Depay is central to everything that Lyon do and whether he would be allowed that freedom at Arsenal, with the other attacking talent available, remains unclear, but he has matured since his time at Manchester United and has an improved temperament, meaning those concerns about a return to England can largely be dispelled.

Even though he could agree on a move away from Lyon this summer, it would appear the 26-year-old hasn't played his final game for the club, with president Jean-Michel Aulas confirming his availability for the upcoming Coupe de la Ligue final against PSG and the Champions League last-16 second-leg clash against Juventus.

Aulas said: “He will play in the finals that await us.

But he added: “There will be departures and we’re going to have to make choices because we’ve already got more than 30 players. We’ll have to let some go, loan others, and we’re going to have to find compromises to have a good team."

The main concern would be the serious injury that Depay sustained in December. Is he the same dynamic player that has been so positive for Lyon in Ligue 1? Or will the recovery impact what kind of player he becomes?

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