One of the hottest names in this transfer window is Chilean International star, Alexis Sanchez.
After leading Udinese to a historical qualification to the Champions League, scoring 12 goals (his best ever goalscoring tally in a single season) and providing six assists, “El Niño Maravilla” looks mature enough to step up to one of Europe’s big boys; he appears to be in the midst of a tussle for his services between both Manchester clubs; City and United (along with a host of top European clubs as Udinese hawk their player to the highest bidder.
Alexis Sanchez in Serie A
Alexis Sanchez – Udinese |
2010-11 |
Appearances |
31 |
Minutes On Pitch |
2390 |
Goals |
12 |
Mins per goal |
199 |
Shots |
58 |
Shots On Target |
34 |
Shooting Accuracy |
59% |
Chance Conversion |
21% |
Touches per game |
60 |
Goal Assists |
6 |
Key Passes |
44 |
Total Passes |
1123 |
Pass Completion % |
70% |
Dribbles & Runs |
159 |
Dribble Completion % |
58% |
Most fouls won & successful dribbles – Serie A 2010-11
Player |
Team |
Total Fouls Won |
Sánchez |
Udinese |
115 |
Palombo |
Sampdoria |
96 |
Lavezzi |
Napoli |
91 |
Asamoah |
Udinese |
89 |
Totti |
Roma |
86 |
Player |
Team |
Successful Dribbles |
Eto’o |
Internazionale |
94 |
Sánchez |
Udinese |
93 |
Pastore |
Palermo |
90 |
Krasic |
Juventus |
80 |
Zárate |
Lazio |
78 |
As well as being the player with the most fouls won and the second-most successful dribbles of Serie A in 2010-11, Sanchez was also the only player to manage more than three goals in a single game, netting four in Udinese’s 7-0 demolition of Palermo back in February.
Let’s compare Sanchez, who plays at his best as a supporting striker, to his potential partners up front at City and United:
Manchester United & Manchester City strikers – Premier League 2010-11
Premier League 10-11 |
Berbatov |
Hernández |
Rooney |
Tévez |
Dzeko |
Balotelli |
Team |
Man Utd |
Man Utd |
Man Utd |
Man City |
Man City |
Man City |
Appearances |
32 |
27 |
28 |
31 |
15 |
17 |
Goals |
20 |
13 |
11 |
20 |
2 |
6 |
Mins per goal |
111 |
114 |
202 |
127 |
423 |
182 |
Shots |
79 |
44 |
77 |
86 |
23 |
35 |
Shooting Accuracy |
53% |
55% |
52% |
52% |
48% |
46% |
Chance Conversion |
25% |
30% |
14% |
23% |
9% |
17% |
Touches per game |
40 |
25 |
61 |
55 |
33 |
35 |
Goal Assists |
4 |
1 |
11 |
6 |
2 |
0 |
Key Passes |
32 |
14 |
49 |
47 |
7 |
8 |
Total Passes |
868 |
447 |
1,184 |
1,097 |
293 |
297 |
Pass Completion % |
80% |
82% |
77% |
83% |
70% |
77% |
Dribbles & Runs |
68 |
22 |
60 |
120 |
27 |
46 |
Dribble Completion % |
49% |
27% |
43% |
51% |
41% |
35% |
Roberto Mancini would probably benefit more than Sir Alex Ferguson from the arrival of Alexis Sanchez. United’s strikers performed at their best last season, with Rooney and Hernandez flourishing in the second part of the campaign and sealing the title for the Red Devils, scoring together 19 of their side’s 39 league goals in 2011, and Berbatov recording his most prolific English campaign ever (20 goals in 32 appearances).
At City, with the inconsistent Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko struggling to settle in English football, only Carlos Tevez managed to reach double figures for goals scored in the league, and Sanchez would give crucial help up front in terms of creativity and chance conversion, boosting the Citizens’ hopes of success both in the league and in their first ever Champions League campaign.