AliousCrystal Palace have numerous exciting targets right now, but only one has drawn comparisons to Xavi, and from none other than Lionel Messi.
Oliver Glasner must be pleased with Dougie Freedman’s work this summer, but he’ll be looking for more additions before mid-August.
At Crystal Palace, the arrivals of Chadi Riad and Daichi Kamada have started things off well, and Ryan Sessegnon is also likely to join.
However, several positions, including midfield, are still being targeted.
One of Palace’s targets, Arthur Melo, has been compared to Xavi, giving insight into what he could bring to the club.
Lionel Messi once compared Arthur Melo to Xavi
Earlier this week, Palace were linked with Arthur Melo from Juventus. Reports suggest Thiago Motta isn’t keen to use the Brazilian midfielder this summer.
Arthur had a solid season at Fiorentina, featuring 48 times. Despite his performances, Lionel Messi had higher expectations for him.
As quoted by Sport 45 in Spain, Messi said Arthur reminded him of Xavi and had a Barcelona style of play:
“Arthur I didn’t know that much about but he seems similar to Xavi. He’s very safe and trustworthy.
He has the La Masia style. Playing short passes, without losing the ball, and he grasped it quickly, the dynamic of the team.”
This high praise from Messi, widely regarded as the greatest of all time, hints at what Arthur could bring to Selhurst Park.
Arthur Melo’s key strengths amid Palace links
Arthur’s strengths lie in his possession play, which could pose a challenge for Glasner, who expects high intensity from his midfielders.
According to FBRef, Arthur’s stats over the last 365 days highlight his key strengths: Stat Amount per 90 Percentile Shot Creating Actions 3.26 77th Passes Attempted 68.07 88th Pass Completion % 91.3% 96th Progressive Passes 6.03 75th
These stats show where Arthur excels, though defensively and in terms of dribbling and carrying the ball, he is less impressive.
Despite being an excellent passer, Arthur might not possess all the qualities Glasner wants. With Adam Wharton, Cheick Doucoure, Jefferson Lerma, and Will Hughes already in the squad, adding another midfielder with a high salary might not be the best move.
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