Arsenal have been heavily linked to Alexis Sanchez in recent weeks, and obviously Fabregas has joined bitter rivals Chelsea.

In this article, I look at who would suit Arsenal better.

Have the North London side missed a trick in not resigning their former captain or could Wenger and the board be plotting something much bigger, centered on the Chilean?

World Class talent needed

Both of these players are world class, Arsenal fans need no reminding of Cesc’s talent in a red and white shirt, and Sanchez has lit up Chile this World Cup with immense pace and power.

Both of these players could make the difference between spending 128 days at the top of the table (that is how long The Gunners were there last season) and actually going on to win the thing!

Despite finishing fourth last season it is impossible to deny the fact that Arsenal did land a considerable assault at the Premier League crown, what was lacking, however, was staying power.

Both of these players could bring prized staying power. That means when you are 1-0 down away at Stoke on a bleak Saturday afternoon after conceding a miserable Walters penalty, lacking ideas and with your title aspirations vanishing like sand in an hourglass, you have a player who can step up and make the difference, who can produce something magical on his own.

Ozil is a brilliant player, but can go missing in times like this, it is only Aaron Ramsey in our current squad who can step up and grab a game by the scruff of its neck, hence why the Welshman was so missed when injured.

Statistics

These stats come from Squawka and are based on the two players’ respective performances for Barcelona in La Liga last season.

It will come as no surprise that Fabregas dominates passing statistics. The Spaniard makes an average of 78 passes per game, over double that of the Chilean’s 34, and is more accurate in those passes, with an 87% pass completion rate in relation to Sanchez’s 80%.

Operating just behind the striker Fabregas also edges Sanchez in terms of assists and chances created per game. Fabregas recorded 0.47 assists per game as well as creating 2.12 chances, whereas Sanchez only got 0.38 assists every 90 minutes, only creating 1.78 chances.

Goals and shots. Many would argue this is the real area that needs strengthening at the club, and sure enough this is where Sanchez shines. He hit 19 goals last season in La Liga, while his teammate chalked up just 8. Sanchez is also keener to shoot, going for goal 2.5 times a game, a noticeable amount more than Fabregas’ 1.9 shots.

What does this Arsenal team need more?

Sanchez is a wide forward. He can play off the flanks or through the middle as more a generic striker. It is possible that on his own up front he could become isolated, however, alongside Olivier Giroud, the pair could shine. Giroud is underrated; he has hit 35 goals in the last 2 seasons. He stars for France because he plays alongside another top striker in Benzema, meaning his lack of pace is not highlighted.

If Giroud was flanked by the rapid, powerful Sanchez and our very own Theo Walcott, then his lack of pace would be irrelevant and we would see a closer look at the better aspects of his game such as his superb close control highlighted in his assist to Wilshere for Arsenal and Sky Sports’ 2013/14 goal of the season.

Not only would Sanchez star for Arsenal but he would also bring the best out of other players, as he has done for members of Chile‘s squad like Eduardo Vargas in Brazil this tournament, and as a result would morph The Gunners into a genuine force.

Fabregas is a midfielder, primarily a number 10, playing just behind the striker. Statistics do not lie, he is a class act, talented and careful on the ball, he can run a team on his own.

However, Arsenal have Mesut Ozil. A man who Mourinho described as the best no.10 in the world last year.

Last season, Ozil recorded less assists than Fabregas, 9 to the Spaniards 13, but he was playing behind Olivier Giroud not Lionel Messi. Furthermore, Ozil created more chances, 76 to Cesc’s 58. With a top striker, such as Sanchez, ahead of Ozil I would not be surprised if the German conformably surpassed Fabregas in terms of assists next season.

Ultimately we need a world class goal scorer, so right this way Mr Sanchez please… good thing he hasn’t gone to one our rivals… yet!

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