With all the news about Kylian Mbappe and Eden Hazard that circulates on what seems like a weekly basis, it seems inevitable that Real Madrid will sign one or the other. However, it is my contention that another forward, less strongly linked, is actually the best option for the world’s greatest club going forward. Raheem Sterling’s numbers over the last two seasons make him a top five forward in the world.
One of the first rumors to surface after the return of club legend Zinedine Zidane came from the Mirror linking Sterling to a move to the Bernabé, and I think it is something the club should more seriously consider.
He is younger than Hazard, would be cheaper than Mbappe, and his performance compares favorably to both players. Just look at these attacking numbers over the last two seasons.
Besides key passes per 90 minutes, Sterling outperforms Hazard in every major attacking statistic (including xA90 which means that his key passes are more likely than Hazard’s to result in an assist).
Part of this difference can be accounted for by the fact that Sterling plays with better attackers -and a better manager – than Hazard but considering the fact that the Belgian has never had more than 16 goals in a Premier League season, if Real Madrid is looking for a reliable goalscorer – and they should be – then the English forward will be the better option. Sterling had 18 goals last season and is on pace for 22 or 23 this season.
Another item that puts him over Hazard is a matter of versatility. Sterling can play either wing with equal comfort, while Hazard really only plays on the left or centrally.
Given the fact that the extremely promising Vinícius Júnior plays almost exclusively on the left, bringing in Hazard would seriously hamper his ability to get minutes. I am not willing to slow his development to bring in a 28 year old with a questionable goalscoring record.
As for Kylian Mbappe, Raheem Sterling is four years older and not quite as lethal in front of the net, but considering the fact that the reported fees for the Frenchmen are over a hundred million euros more than the current transfer record, I would take the City man’s output instead for a discount.
Both men are involved in about 65 percent of their teams’ expected goals for, according to analytics site smarterscout.com. The other thing worth noting about Mbappe’s numbers it that his league numbers they are a bit inflated.
No one question’s Mbappe’s talent but the French league is nothing compared to the English Premier League or La Liga in terms of quality. We have good reason to think Sterling’s numbers will translate rather well, but we would have to expect a bit of a dip in Mbappe’s output as he moves to a truly elite league for the first time in his career.
While Sterling is more of a goalscorer than Hazard – as most good forwards are – he still trends towards being a creator. With that in mind, if Real Madrid was to add Sterling, it might serve us well to also bring in someone a bit more clinical than what Karim Benzema is at this point in his career. Someone like Luka Jovic at Eintracht Frankfurt would be an ideal fit.
Beyond football itself, there is reason to think that Sterling might be willing to consider a move to Madrid. The way the English media has dealt with him is rather inappropriate. Just a few months ago he accused the Daily Mail of “fueling racism and aggressive behavior.” After receiving racist abuse from Montenegro fans this week, he even made a joke about the rarity of “nice headlines” from the English press.
Wow nice headlines..... gonna make a screenshot of these cause it might not happen soon again 😅😅 https://t.co/ark369UeZ5
— Raheem Sterling (@sterling7) February 20, 2019
A move to the Spanish capital could well be a palate cleanser for the forward. His own nation has not treated him well enough and perhaps he can be sold that his work here will be evaluated solely on his football.
No player deserves to go through racist abuse and it is my hope that Real Madrid can be a welcoming home to a superstar like Sterling.
The time has come for a new star to lead the way on Real Madrid’s front line. I think that all things considered, Sterling is the ideal candidate for the job.