Ousmane Dembele v Raphinha - which should Barcelona choose?
Jacque Talbot
- 9 Jul 2022 12:51 BST
- 3 min read
Barcelona are looking to bolster their right flank this summer window.
The Catalans have been attempting to tie down Ousmane Dembele to a new contract for some time now.
And though some reports suggest that the Frenchman has agreed to terms on a new deal, he must still wait to see if Mateu Alemany gives the green light.
Things aren’t much too clearer with regard to their pursuit of Leeds attacker Raphinha, either.
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Depending on where you read, the Brazil international could either be playing his football with Chelsea or at the Nou Camp next season.
With the financial constraints Barcelona have, it could be well that they have to choose one of the other - so who should they focus their attention on?
Raphinha or Dembele
Both are very technically-gifted wingers and 25 years old.
Data shows that both players have no problem beating their man and getting into dangerous areas - with Raphinha ranking in the 83 percentile of right-wingers in the top five leagues for successful box entries - and Dembele at 99.
Likewise, the former Borussia Dortmund attacker ranks 99 for assists over the past 365 days, while the Leeds man hits the 49.
Of course, a caveat is the teams in which they play for and the chances each creates - Leeds and Barcelona are like chalk and cheese in this regard.
But if the La Liga club are wanting to get a player who can score as well as create, they should look no further than Raphinha, who hits the 84 percentile for goals scored; with Dembele just at 38.
Away from the stats, the biggest obstacle Barca will have with Dembele is his injury record and inconsistencies. Even if they get a deal for the winger over the line, it would be another matter of ensuring that he’s firing on all cylinders.
