---
title: "Comparative Analysis – Thomas Lemar vs Riyad Mahrez"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2017/07/28/comparative-analysis-thomas-lemar-vs-riyad-mahrez/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Luke Osman"
section: "Features"
published: "2017-07-28T19:48:32Z"
modified: "2017-07-28T19:48:32Z"
---

# Comparative Analysis – Thomas Lemar vs Riyad Mahrez

Arsenal appear to be far from finished in their summer dealings as they gear up for the 2017/18 Premier League season.

The Gunners have already recruited Sead Kolasinac on a free transfer, and they have finally bolstered their striking options with the club-record signing of Alexandre Lacazette from Lyon. However, it appears as though they are targeting a wide player this summer, with Arsene Wenger keen to add some more creativity to the ranks.

Over the course of the last few months, the Gunners have been linked with moves for AS Monaco wide man Thomas Lemar, along with Leicester City creator Riyad Mahrez. Although the former appears to be the first choice, both would undoubtedly be shrewd additions for Arsenal.

So, just who would be the better acquisition? I’ve produced an analysis of who would suit Arsenal better.

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### Value for money

In a market that nowadays entails such astronomical transfer fees, finding bargains, as such, is difficult. This, coincided with the fact that Arsenal have already spent upwards of £50m this summer, suggests that value for money will be a key factor in Wenger’s mind when it comes to his pursuit of a winger.

Arsenal have reportedly had three bids turned down by Monaco for Thomas Lemar, with the most recent one thought to have amounted to €50m. This indicates that Leonardo Jardim’s side will charge potential suitors top dollar if they are to successfully land Lemar this summer.

![Stanley Chou/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/818856712-1.jpg)

Leicester, on the other hand, may feel a greater need to sell. Mahrez commands one of the highest wages in the Foxes’ squad and handed in a formal transfer request at the end of the season. A move away is likely for the Algerian, and a deal is likely to be struck at around £40m if Arsenal do choose to pursue him.

Lemar has age on his side, and is five years younger than Mahrez, who is 26. This inevitably presents more value and longevity, but with Mahrez, Arsenal can secure a player who is at the peak of his powers for a lesser fee. It’s unlikely that Monaco will even flinch at anything lower than £60m, so the Leicester man could very well be the better signing in terms of value for money.

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### Style of play

The first thing to look at is how the two players play. It’s important for Wenger to weigh up their strengths, their weaknesses, and how these factors weigh in with his philosophy.

There are, in fact, more similarities in both players’ games than there are differences. Both possess a menacing turn of pace, both are more than comfortable on the ball, and both are capable of leaving defenders embarrassed. Arsenal have players that can do this, but none that are willing to hug the touchline before moving in-field to damage opposition.

Statistics show that last season in their respective leagues, Mahrez completed 78 successful take-ons, while Lemar completed just 45. We are all aware of just how swift the Algerian international is when running at players, and despite underwhelming last season, he managed to give defenders a hard time on several occasions. Breaking away at pace and quickly progressing the play is a fundamental aspect of Wenger’s style, and this is something that Mahrez would surely suit.

![Michael Steele/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/678329802-4.jpg)

However, a key aspect of the style we’ll see next season is ball retention. Arsenal’s reputation for moving the ball around quickly and fluently is well-suited for Mahrez, but Lemar provides a little bit more of an efficient option.

While both players boast immense unpredictability on the ball, Lemar does the basics more effectively. He’s excellent at keeping hold of the ball in build-up, and this was shown at Monaco. Jardim’s setup last season held a perfect mixture of risk-taking and pragmatism, and this suited Lemar down to a tee. He was able to express himself freely on the pitch while keeping things neat and tidy, as represented by a pass accuracy of 84%.

This isn’t to say that Mahrez wouldn’t provide efficiency, as such, but he’d be more prone to losing possession, I feel, whereas Lemar has a greater reading of the game and arguably better decision-making.

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### Flexibility

The upcoming season could be an experimental one for Arsene Wenger and his personnel, and we’ve already seen signs of tactical flexibility. Last season, the Frenchman utilised his preferred 4-2-3-1 in the main bulk of the campaign, but also looked to adapt his men to a 3-4-2-1 system.

Mahrez flourished in Claudio Ranieri’s 4-4-2 in the 2015/16 season, but struggled with the Italian’s persistent alterations to Leicester’s system in the first half of the following campaign. However, when Craig Shakespeare took charge, he appeared to show a bit more comfort and guile when operating on the right hand side in the system that worked so well for the team in the previous season.

![Michael Regan/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/501986214-1.jpg)

The former Le Havre man is very much a right winger. Although he is capable of doing a job on the left hand side, his strengths lie as a right-sided attacker and that’s probably not debatable.

This would bode well for Arsene Wenger if he chooses to persist with either formation. Mahrez would work well without defensive responsibility as a right forward in the 3-4-2-1, allowing for positional flexibility and combination play in the final third alongside his fellow attackers. However, he’d also suit the archetypal 4-2-3-1, hugging the right touchline and putting his mesmerising technical ability to good use.

While Mahrez would be a valuable asset if Wenger opts for tactical flexibility at times in the coming season, Lemar would undoubtedly be the better choice if positional flexibility is the preferred approach.

Unlike his counterpart Mahrez, who is somewhat restricted to a certain area of the pitch, Lemar has a tendency to roam the turf and play a variety of roles. While he is intelligent enough to respect positional discipline, he is capable of playing in a plethora of different starting roles.

![Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/486204376.jpg)

Lemar is best suited on the wing – preferrably the left – and is comfortable operating on either flank. However, he has shown through his ability to carry the ball forward and to pick intelligent passes that he makes a more than impressive midfield asset. Of course, defensive responsibility in the central roles of a three-at-the-back system can hinder a player’s creative quality. However, Lemar would be a more than competent number ten and has shown time and time again that he has the brains to cause teams trouble in different positions.

Mahrez may have mastered the role of a modern-day right winger, but Lemar is just only just getting started with the understanding of how to play in a multitude of testing, tactical roles at the age of just 21.

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### Lemar or Mahrez?

Ultimately, it could boil down to availability. It’s looking as though Monaco are desperate to keep hold of Lemar for the foreseeable future, whereas Mahrez is sure to be an accessible, plausible transfer if the money is right.

With Lemar, a flexible, promising, refined youngster would be added, and it’d be a signing that would excite the fans. He’s one of the world’s brightest prospects and he’d undoubtedly offer a different dimension to Arsenal’s creative force.

Mahrez, on the other hand, is already the finished product. As aforementioned, he’s a player in the prime age of his career and has a vast experience of what it takes to not only flourish in the Premier League, but also how much skill is required to go on and win it.

While Lemar has a higher ceiling, Mahrez is ready-made for the Gunners. In the short-term, I’d probably say that the latter is the most suitable choice for Arsenal – they can’t afford to waste time on choosing targets and engaging in prolonged negotiations, and Mahrez is evidently desperate to pull on the iconic red shirt for the 2017/18 campaign.

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**Who would you rather sign – Thomas Lemar or Riyad Mahrez?**

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