Sunderland: Imagine Alexander Aravena and Clarke
The Black Cats have been linked with a swoop to sign the Chile international.
Sunderland have reacted to their success of reaching the Championship play-offs last season by adding seven new players to their squad during the summer transfer window so far.
Who have Sunderland signed this summer?
The Black Cats lost to Luton Town in the semi-finals and Tony Mowbray has strengthened his side to go again with the signings of Jobe Bellingham, Jenson Seelt, Eliezer Mayender, Luis Hemir Semedo, Nathan Bishop, Nectarios Triantis and Bradley Dack on permanent deals.
That does not appear to be the end of the club’s business before the deadline at the start of next month, though, as they are reportedly in the market for another winger.
Sunderland are said to be keen on a deal to sign CD Universidad Católica forward Alexander Aravena, who is valued at €8m (£6.9m) by his current club.
How good is Alexander Aravena?
The 20-year-old wizard has been in exceptional form for the Chilean side this year and his performances suggest that he has the potential to be a lethal partner for current Black Cats star Jack Clarke on the flank.
Mowbray could have two sublime attacking options to select from the start out wide by signing Aravena, whose intelligence was once lauded as “magnificent” by press officer and scout Salvatore Gandhi, to line up on the right wing, with the English gem on the left.
The Chile international has averaged a Sofascore match rating of 7.06 across 18 league appearances in 2023, which would have placed him second and only behind Ross Stewart within Mowbray’s squad, and chipped in with nine goals and 1.1 chances created per game.
This has come after a return of 11 goals in 24 Primera Division outings on loan with Nublense during the 2022 campaign, which shows that the talented youngster is an excellent scoring option who can also create opportunities for his teammates on a regular basis.
Clarke, meanwhile, racked up nine goals and 12 assists in 47 Championship matches for Sunderland last season. No Black Cats player produced more assists and only Stewart, Ellis Simms, and Amad Diallo – who has since returned to Manchester United – scored more goals.
The former Tottenham Hotspur hotshot was, therefore, one of the club’s best performers at the top end of the pitch and this was reflected in his average Sofascore rating of 7.00, which was the third-best at the club – behind Stewart and Simms at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
Aravena’s form for Católica this year suggests that he has the potential to be one of the team’s outstanding players, both in terms of his average performance level and the contributions he can make in the final third on a regular basis.
The Chilean maestro, who journalist Josh Bunting claimed would be an “excellent” signing, could replace Patrick Roberts on the right flank after the ex-Manchester City man averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.83 and scored five goals in 42 Championship clashes last term.
These statistics suggest that Aravena, who also has plenty of room to improve and develop at the age of 20, could come in as an upgrade on the English forward for Mowbray.
He would also be a lethal partner on the wing for Clarke this season as Sunderland would have two wide attackers who can carry a significant goal threat and offer a creative outlet for their teammates.
