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While most football clubs around the world need to be cautious of transfer expenditure due to the pandemic, the top Premier League clubs are an exception. Many superstars such as Kai Havertz and Donny Van de Beek seem to be heading to the Premier League, but one midfielder who should not be overlooked is Marseille’s Morgan Sanson. Here’s why:
Midfield stability and creativity
Playmakers and creative midfielders are very highly valued in today’s market. The likes of Kevin de Bruyne and Bruno Fernandes are widely considered to be the best players at their respective clubs. However, midfield stability is just as vital to a team’s success. Morgan Sanson provides this stability to Marseille’s midfield while also adding some flair and creativity.
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Sanson has a low passing volume completing just 30.1 passes per 90 on an average last season with an accuracy of 80.0 percent. Of these, just 1.2 are short passes (5 yards or less), 23.6 are medium-range passes (between 5 and 25 yards), and 5.31 are long-range passes (>25 yards).
Morgan Sanson's role at Marseille has changed, as indicated by his progressive passing statistics. He made 3.86 and 4.76 progressive passes per 90 in the 17/18 and 18/19 seasons respectively. This dropped to 2.82 in the 19/20 season. Sanson's passes to the penalty area also decreased from 1.20 in the 18/19 season to 0.91 in the 19/20 season.
These statistics indicate that while Morgan Sanson is capable of providing the creative spark to his team, he also provides solidity to the midfield and keeps the play ticking.
Offensive output
While conducting the play from midfield, Sanson has also regularly chipped in with goals and assists for his team. Having started most of his games from central midfield, Sanson likes to move forward and facilitate attacking play. He took 1.4 shots per game and made 1.1 key passes per game in the league last season. Sanson's eagerness to get into the opposition’s half rewarded him with 5 goals and 4 assists in the league in the 19/20 season.
Since joining Marseille, Morgan Sanson has not only increased his offensive output, he has also consistently outperformed when it comes to expected goals and expected assists. This suggests that he has a good finishing ability rather than just good luck. Sanson already has an assist in the 20/21 season too, having played just 78 minutes of Marseille’s opening game.
Defensive contributions
Marseille finished second in Ligue 1 last season, having conceded 29 goals. While they weren’t at their best defensively, Morgan Sanson certainly did his fair share of defensive duties. Sanson made 2.2 tackles per 90 and also chipped in with 0.9 interceptions per 90.
Pressing is another strength of Sanson’s. He effected 29.8 pressures per 90 with a success rate 0f 27.8 percent. To provide some context, this is more than his midfield teammates Valentin Rongier, Maxime Lopez, and Boubacar Kamara.
In conclusion, Morgan Sanson is an excellent player in every respect. Valued at 22.5 million euros Transfermarkt, he could prove to be a bargain for any team that decides to sign him.
