Arsenal are exploring the market for a new left-back as they seek to strengthen their squad this summer.
Piero Hincapie, Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly were the left-back options last season.
Lewis-Skelly is now likely to be considered a midfielder following his strong end to the campaign in the middle of the park, leaving Calafiori and Hincapie to fight for a starting berth.
Calafiori could leave as he has been linked with Real Madrid, although it remains to be seen whether Arsenal would be ready to sanction his exit.
Arsenal should sell Calafiori and replace him with Lewis Hall
Hincapie was Arsenal’s best left-back last season. He is now poised to join the Gunners permanently for £45 million.
By contrast, Calafiori did not impress. We believe Arsenal should sell the Italian this summer, two years after his £42m move from Bologna.
Newcastle United left-back Lewis Hall would be the perfect replacement for Calafiori.
The proceeds from Calafiori’s sale could be used to secure a deal for the English full-back, who is reportedly available for £50m.
Hall was one of the outstanding left-backs in the Premier League last season and would give Hincapie a good fight for a starting berth.
Hall registered just one league assist last season, but that was mainly due to his teammates’ poor finishing. He ranked in the 63rd percentile for expected assists, higher than Hincapie and Calafiori (3rd vs 23rd percentile.
The England international also ranked higher for progressive passes (83rd percentile), compared to Hincapie’s (42nd) and Calafiori’s (16th).
Described as ‘outstanding‘ by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, Hall also posted higher percentiles for progressive carries and crosses completed, making him a better attacking left-back than the Arsenal pair.
Defensively, the former Chelsea youth prospect outranked Hincapie and Calafiori for possession won.
Only Hincapie posted a higher defensive duel win percentage than him, but his 56th percentile ranking for aerial duels is lower than that of the two Arsenal defenders.
Hall is ready to leave Newcastle, but Arsenal would have to act swiftly to win his signature, as Manchester United are also interested in him.
Stats from datamb.football