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STAT ATTACK: Is Bruno Peres what Arsenal really need?
Arsenal are looking for a quality right defender who can either be deployed as back-up to Hector Bellerin or even replace the Spaniard who is being linked with a return to his childhood club Barcelona.
Bruno Peres joined Torino in from Santos in a € 2 million deal in 2014 and has imposed himself as one of the best right-backs of the whole Italian league during his two-year spell at the club.
Peres became popular among Serie A fans after his eye-catching solo goal scored against Juventus in his first ever Turin derby in November 2014.
The 26-year-old played 34 games in his first season at Torino scoring three goals and registering five assists. Former Torino boss Giampiero Ventura used to deploy him mainly as right winger in a 3-5-2 system, which means Peres would need to adapt to play in a four-man defence, should he complete a move to Arsenal or any other Premier League club (Leicester City are also interested).
However, being the Premier League a much more offensive league than the Serie A, Peres’ unstoppable runs might well fit with the English championship’s mentality and, in particular, with Wenger’s idea of football. The Frenchman has a clear preference for offensive fullbacks just think about Sagna, Clichy and also Bellerin. Even if their defensive skills have been constantly improving under the French manager, they’ve always had a tendency to make more runs forward rather than covering the space behind their shoulders.
The former Santos’s weakness in terms of defensive performances is highlighted by the 55.8% duels won during the 2015-16 campaign, when he registered 31 Serie A appearances with Torino. Peres won just the 34.8% of aerial duels, making 36 interceptions.
Oddly, Peres did not make as much crosses as one would expect from one of the best offensive right-back of the league. Peres crossed 84 times in 31 games last term, which might look as a decent rate, but if one considers that Palermo’s Lazaar is the 10th best crosser of the 2015-16 Serie A campaign with 147 (the best one is Inter newcomer Candreva with 257), he’d notice that Bruno Peres is still plenty of room to improve even in the offensive phase.
It is worth mentioning, however, that Peres scored all last season’s three goals from inside the danger area, which partially explains his figures in terms of crosses. Peres’ runs are not only covering the right flank, but the Brazilian enjoys entering the centre of the pitch to find the net of the goal.
With the the 82% of passing accuracy last season and improved figures in terms of assist provided last term compared to the 2014-15 campaign (from five to seven), Peres is fittingly considered one of the best wide players of the entire Italian league and is well worth an investment in the region of € 20 million as he can provide bags of goals and assists under a manager with an offensive mentality such as Arsene Wenger.
Lorenzo Bettoni @lorebetto
