So far, the 2023/24 season has been a brilliant one for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's men have built on their slow and steady start to the campaign and, with just seven league games left, have a real chance of winning their first Premier League title in two decades.
The Gunners have been scoring for fun since the turn of the year, but it was only a few months ago that they looked hopeless up top and found the back of the net just once in 63 shots, so it's not surprising that the North Londoners continue to be linked to several top strikers, such as Ivan Toney, ahead of the summer.
However, as talented as the Brentford ace is, Arsenal could sign a better option based on recent reports.
Arsenal transfer news
According to a report from the Portuguese newspaper Record earlier this week, FC Porto striker Evanilson remains on Arsenal's radar, and the North Londoners have had scouts watch him in person this year.
This isn't the first time the Gunners have been linked with the Brazilian forward this season. Back in January, Football Transfers reported that many within the club saw him as a player with incredible potential and someone worth breaking the bank for, which is something they'll have to do.
According to the same report, the former Fluminense ace will cost Arsenal around €75m to bring to London in the summer, which is about £64m.
While that would represent a hefty investment, it might well be worth it, especially if the alternative is Toney.
How Evanilson compares to Toney
So, comparing strikers to Toney this season is somewhat tricky due to the Englishman's eight-month betting-related football ban, but if you take the Brentford star's output from last season – when he finished third in the Premier League's goalscoring list – and compare it to Evanilson's from this year, the latter's is still more impressive.
In 35 games last year, the former Newcastle United forward found the back of the net 21 times and provided five assists, whereas the Brazilian phenom has scored 22 goals and provided six assists in 36 games so far this season.
Moreover, since the start of the 22/23 campaign, Porto's "serious talent", as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered a whopping 47 goal involvements (goals and assists combined), having managed ten goals and nine assists last season, suggesting this is not just a flash in the pan.
So, with the output of the 24-year-old more impressive on the surface, which player has the better underlying numbers?
Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists
0.65
0.50
Non-Penalty Goals
0.50
0.33
Assists
0.17
0.08
Progressive Carries
1.82
1.49
Progressive Passes
2.65
2.73
Shots on Target
0.94
1.24
Goals per Shot on Target
0.53
0.27
Passing Accuracy
78.7%
52.4%
Shot-Creating Actions
2.76
2.72
Goal-Creating Actions
0.50
0.41
Miscontrols
1.71
3.64
Dispossessed
1.10
1.32
Well, it's another win for the Fortaleza-born dynamo, as he comes out on top in almost every relevant metric and by quite some margin in some of them.
For example, he produces a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, scores more goals, has much better passing accuracy, is more clinical with the shots he takes, and is far less likely to miscontrol the ball or be dispossessed by an opponent.
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In all, Evanilson looks to be the more complete striker, as well as being four years Toney's junior, so if Arsenal are going to go out and sign a new number nine this summer, picking up the 6 foot Brazilian looks like a far better option, as they could forget about the Brentford star by landing him.