Arsene Wenger is reportedly on the hunt for a replacement for Alexis Sanchez, and Yannick Carrasco is apparently on the top of his wishlist according to reports.

So what would Arsenal get?

Yannick Carrasco is a target for Arsenal according to the latest set of rumours with Arsene Wenger reportedly preparing for life after Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean is said to be close to leaving the Emirates as talks regarding his new contract have not progressed.

Carrasco currently plays for Atletico Madrid and the winger is seen as the perfect successor for Alexis. The Belgian was an ever-present for Atleti and made 53 appearances for the club last season, grabbing five assists and scoring 14 times.

The 23-year-old started his youth career at Genk before moving to Monaco where he made his first senior appearances. Atletico Madrid bought him for more than €17m in 2015 and the Belgian has a contract until 2022 with the Spanish side.

Arsene Wenger’s refusal to sell Alexis and Atletico’s transfer ban mean nothing from this story is likely to happen.

Next, Carrasco’s strengths

Strengths

Dribbling and pace are Carrasco’s main assets and the player is very skillful at taking on his opponents (1.97 per-game) and sprinting forward with the ball to gain extra space. In addition to dribbling, he is very good at finishing attacking moves as he tends to position himself in all the right places.

He creates around one chance per-game and makes 0.83 key passes, keeping his passing success rate around 83% per-game.

When a player is technical gifted like Carrasco and has the ability to cut defencese open with his runs, the ability to use both feet is a massive bonus. He is equally good when shooting with his left or right boot and it doesn’t really matter how he positions himself before taking a shot.

His defensive contribution is also significant, and with the style of Diego Simeone, the player has learned the importance of withdrawing and tracking his player.

Next, Carrasco’s weaknesses

Weaknesses

Although he is a skilled dribbler with an eye for a pass and goal, Carrasco can be very selfish on occasion. He often doesn’t lift his head to search for a teammate in a better position and this is the main problem of his approach.

His decisions are, more often than not, poor and whether he stays or goes this summer, that is the main problem any manager should work on with him.

For a player of his quality and the positions he ends up in, if he can improve his vision and decision making in the final third, he will become one of the best wingers in the world.

Next, Carrasco’s potential at Arsenal

Potential at Arsenal

Is there a better manager than Arsene Wenger to wake up a creative force in his players?

Maybe one or two, and the Frenchman could be the one to take Carrasco to the next level of his game.

The 23-year-old Belgian would surely be a starter in Arsenal from the moment he arrived at the club. His ability to cover both flanks and his defensive work would do wonders for the whole squad, and if Arsenal manage to bring him in it would be a deal that made a massive impact.

Atletico Madrid still have six months on their transfer ban and it will be very tough to negotiate any deal for their players, especially talented ones like Carrasco,.

Any deal would surely require a significantly bigger sum than the real market value of the player.

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