Cheaper Zaha alternatives Arsenal should have considered

It’s a sign of the current market that when Arsenal reportedly made a £40m approach for Wilfried Zaha the footballing world collectively scoffed at what was considered such a derisory fee.

It’s well known that the Gunners are financially hamstrung this summer and need to eek every penny of value out of the moves they make. With Zaha believed to be valued closer to double that of the reported offer it’s clear that he won’t be one of those switching to the Emirates.

It’s also clear that the London club are keen to bolster their options out wide, so if Zaha is the type of player they are after, who could they identify as a cheaper alternative?

Well the answers may come from a familiar scouting pool in France, where two young wingers - both capable of playing as a centre-forward like Zaha - have similar playing styles to the Crystal Palace flyer.

It is, after all, the 26-year-old’s dribbling and trickery that are his standout assets, capable of striking fear into opposition defenders. His end product has often come in for criticism but the Ivory Coast international - currently on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations - posted ten goals for the first time in a single league season in 2018/19 as he aims to silence any remaining doubters.

In Ligue 1, both Allan Saint-Maximin and Marcus Thuram have garnered a reputation in a short space of time for their ability to beat a man. Both are also expected to make moves from Nice and Guingamp respectively this summer, so how do their statistics stack up to those of Zaha?

With regards to Thuram - son of legendary France full-back Lilian - he is looking for a new club having failed to prevent his side’s relegation last season. As such he’s available at a cut price believed to be  £10m, with Borussia Monchengladbach thought to be leading the race for his signature.

Saint-Maximin will cost considerably more, but in the region of £25m he is within budget and the subject of Premier League interest from the likes of Watford.

While the duo may not be the profile of name that Arsenal fans crave, tempering expectations is necessary given the club’s apparent budget this summer. Building for the future is a must, and both Thuram and Saint-Maximin would represent a step in that direction.

The former ended the 2018/19 campaign as Guingamp’s top scorer with an impressive nine goals from a wide role on the left. His pace, power and aerial threat - standing well over six feet tall - is a unique combination and while he can be a little careless in possession, like Zaha, Thuram is difficult to stop in full flow.

An average of 3.5 successful dribbles per 90 is testament to as much, while his success rate from overall attempts to beat a man is considerably higher than that of Zaha. At 69.2 per cent it’s actually very solid for a winger who looks to take on his full-back so frequently, with the Eagles star averaging 3.4 successful dribbles per 90 at a meagre 50.7 per cent success.

Thuram isn’t as impressive when it comes to chance creation (1.3 key passes per 90) but does track back well, averaging an excellent 1.6 tackles per 90, and boasted a superior conversion rate last season (14.5 per cent).

Saint-Maximin, meanwhile, isn’t as efficient in front of goal and in that sense is perhaps more like the Zaha of old. Four years his junior, however, that is understandable and his reputation is pretty similar to when Zaha was his age.

The 22-year-old has fallen out with coach and former Arsenal star Patrick Vieira in the past, and he is more of a pure entertainer than Thuram. If it’s defensive work rate you are after, Saint-Maximin isn’t your man that’s for sure, but at his best he’s a real handful.

An average of 4.4 successful dribbles per 90 ranked second across Europe’s top five leagues last season, though came at a modest 56.7 per cent success rate. He makes the wrong decisions at times, can be too individualistic but statistically the French youth international is about as close to Zaha’s statistical profile as you could find.

An average of 1.8 key passes per 90 proves that he can deliver a good final ball, perhaps warranting more than a modest assist haul of just three, but his finishing is suspect at present.

Six goals was a disappointing return from 75 shots (eight per cent conversion), but given time and work on and off the training pitch Saint-Maximin could become a much more polished player should the desire be there on his part.

A WhoScored.com rating of 7.21 last season was not only the third successive increase in his league career but the exact same of Wilfried Zaha.

At a fraction of the price, both Ligue 1 starlets have the potential to offer a longer term alternative to a player that won’t be in Arsenal’s price bracket any time soon.