It wasn’t the smoothest of debut campaigns for Ange Postecoglou last season, but considering the injuries he had to deal with and the departure of Harry Kane before a ball was kicked, qualifying for the Europa League has to be seen as a success.
Tottenham showing a firm interest in Désiré Doué. One other player they’d previously edged away from is back under consideration. Pedro Neto
O’Keefe does not mention a potential price, but another report from Football Transfers last week revealed that the Old Gold have reduced the winger’s asking price to just £43m and that the Lilywhites North London rivals Arsenal were potentially interested in the 24-year-old as well.
While the transfer could prove complicated due to the Gunners’ interest, if Levy and Co can land a player as talented as Neto for the reported price, then it’s certainly worth pursuing – even at the detriment of Kulusevski.
How Neto compares to Kulusevski
So, if Neto does end up signing on the dotted line and moving to the white side of North London, the fact he favours playing off the right of a front three will inevitably put him up against Kulusevski for a starting role. So how do they compare?
Well, from a pure output perspective, it’s a comprehensive win for the Portuguese international. In 24 appearances last season, he scored three goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.74 games.
In comparison, the Swedish international scored eight goals and provided three assists in 39 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 3.54 games.
What about what’s going on under the hood then? Is it another comfortable victory for the Old Gold’s star winger when we compare their underlying numbers?
Unfortunately for the former Juventus ace, it is. For example, while he makes fewer progressive passes, maintains a lower passing accuracy and takes fewer shots on target, the 24-year-old “monster”, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out ahead in most other metrics, including non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes, shots, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, ball recoveries, key passes and aerial duels won, all per 90.
Neto vs Kulusevski
Stats per 90
Neto
Kulusevski
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.47
0.40
Progressive Passes
3.21
4.69
Progressive Carries
5.83
4.92
Shots
1.98
1.81
Shots on Target
0.68
0.69
Passing Accuracy
74.5
77.2
Key Passes
2.26
2.15
Shot-Creating Actions
4.45
4.14
Goal-Creating Actions
0.83
0.26
Successful Take-Ons
2.20
1.76
Ball Recoveries
4.70
4.33
Aerial Duels Won
0.24
0.23
All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 Domestic Season
Overall, it starts to look like the Wolves ace is the better option here, but the major concern with the talented winger is his injury record, which has seen him miss 46 games for club and country in the last two campaigns.
However, this could allow Postecoglou to play him and Kulusevski regularly throughout the season, ensuring they get adequate game time and rest time.
Arsenal’s 2024/25 Premier League fixtures announced with Mikel Arteta’s men set for tough back-to-back away run against Tottenham and Man City
Arsenal begin the 2024/25 Premier League season against Wolves on August 17.
And Mikel Arteta faces a tough opening five games that also include trips to Tottenham and Man City.
After finishing as runners-up in each of the last two seasons to Manchester City, there is belief that it could be third time lucky for Arsenal in the upcoming campaign.
But they know they have to start the term firing on all cylinders – just as they have done in the previous two years.
Having racked up 89 points in the 2023/24 season, boss Arteta will be desperate to start fast to show they once again mean business.
Arsenal boast an impressive record in terms of Premier League openers, with only Manchester United and Chesea recording more than their 18 wins from 32 fixtures
Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992, the north Londoners have lost eight times in their first match – the last coming in August 2021 away at Brentford.
The start of the new season is a chance for Arteta to lay down a huge statement of intent.
After facing Wolves on the opening day, they travel to Aston Villa before hosting Brighton at the Emirates.
They travel to Tottenham on September 14, before having a trip to City the following week.
They will host Spurs in the reverse north London derby on January 14 in a midweek game at the Emirates.
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