🤫It is the worst kept secret in world football: Newcastle United are in the market for a right-sided attacker, or certainly a versatile forward that can cover several positions. With names like Anthony Elanga, Bryan Mbuemo, Mohammed Kudus and Antoine Semenyo being bandied about – with rather tasty price tags and wages to boot – I thought I’d have a go at taking a data-led approach to see if that could point towards a more cost-effective better fit for this position in the first of our ‘Alternative Transfers’ series.
🛜We’re not declaring the next Yamal based on a YouTube compilation set to some crap drum & bass. Nor are we Dennis Wise, pulling names out of a highlight reel and faxing them to Keegan. This is about profiling players whose data signals something worth watching i.e., those players emerging through the noise when you set the right filters.
🔬The methodology
We want to find progressive ball carrying forwards from across the top 5 European leagues who offer a goal threat, consistently create lots of chances, get into dangerous attacking areas, and have the ability to beat defenders one-on-one. With defensive work rate, particularly in the final third, a feature of Howe’s forwards, we’ve also included metrics to capture this.
We excluded anyone: 🚫 With under 900 minutes played 🚫 Who doesn’t regularly play RW 🚫 Who already has strong reputations (e.g., Saka Yamal, etc.) 🚫 Already playing in the Premier League (Kudus, Semenyo, etc.)
That left a grand total of 6 players to choose from, and for me, one stood out: Matías Soulé
Background
Matías Soulé is a 22-year-old who, after turning down a professional contract at Velez in his native Argentina, joined Juventus’ academy. Following a successful loan spell (for him at least) in the 2023/24 season with Frosinone where he notched 11 goals and 3 assists, he secured a £20m move to AS Roma. After a shaky start that had as much to do with Roma’s off-field turmoil than anything else, Soulé established himself as a key first-team player as AS Roma became the in-form side across Europe’s top 5 leagues in the second half of the season under that wily old fox, Claudio Ranieri.
🧩Stylistic fit
In the first half of the season Soulé was used in various positions – RWB, AM, SS, but eventually found his feet in the RW role under Ranieri. His AS Roma side based their resurgence last season on being compact in defence, pressing with intensity and looking to break forward quickly in transition.
Statistically, Soulé looks like the kind of inside forward that Eddie Howe likes:
🎯4.6 progressive carries and 4.8 progressive passes per 90 🎯9.1 progressive passes received, showing he’s a consistent outlet 🎯He also consistently takes on the opposition, with 5.7 take-ons per 90, completing 2.2, in the 82nd percentile.
🤤Another key trait Soulé displays that would have Howe salivating Soulé’s touch profile. Not only does his 34 touches per 90 in the attacking third (90th percentile) but he ranks highly for touches in the middle and defensive thirds, as well as in his own penalty area. This paints a picture of a winger who doesn’t just wait for the ball in the attacking third, but actively contributes across all phases of play – from pressing shape to build-up and final-third threat. He also has excellent positional versatility, showing himself capable of playing RWB in a back 5, centrally as an advanced right-sided 8, just behind the striker or in his preferred RW spot.
👀The eye test
He more than passes the eye-test. When you watch Soulé you see a player with a graceful, upright dribbling style and excellent close control. He regularly receives the ball on the half-turn and looks to drive at defenders, often committing multiple players before releasing a pass. He likes to cut in on his favoured left foot and either thread a through ball or shift the ball for a curling effort. What also stands out is his composure in tight spaces and his constant scanning for space.
⚠️*Areas for development*
⚽Shot quality: At Roma, he averaged just 0.08 xG per shot, with many efforts coming from distance (average shot distance: 20.5 yards). However, his Frosinone season paints a more encouraging picture: 0.30 xG per 90 and 0.32 goals per 90 (77th percentile), showing that in a system that gives him attacking responsibility, Soulé can deliver end product. 🔒Ball retention: Soulé ranks poorly for being dispossessed and miscontrols per 90, suggesting he sometimes dwells too long on the ball. 🤕Aerial presence: He wins just one-third of his aerial duels. Not a dealbreaker for a wide forward, but not a strength. 🥅Output vs. process: While his G+A per 90 at Roma sits at ∼0.4, his time at Frosinone – with 11 goals across the season and strong xG and shot-creating stats – suggests he has more to offer when used as a key creative outlet. 🏃♂️*Pressing impact*: Soulé fits into high-pressing systems structurally, but he’s not a direct ball-winner. He helps set the press, rather than trigger it to win the ball back directly.
🔮Looking ahead
With Claudio Ranieri stepping down, AS Roma is entering a new phase under Gian Piero Gasperini – a coach with a proven track record of developing young talent during his time at Atalanta with the likes of Samardzic, Lookman, Scalvini, Ruggieri all thriving under him. That likely bodes well for Soulé’s progression, especially in a high-intensity, tactically fluid set up. But it also means his stock could be about to soar. 💥
He’s had a productive loan at Frosinone and a promising first season at Roma without fully exploding. The underlying numbers – in progressive passing, take-ons, shot creation and defensive work – suggest a player on the verge of a breakout season. Add in the context that Roma just missed out on Champions League football, and Soulé is only 22 years old, now would be the optimal time to sign him.
If Newcastle United wanted to ‘buy the dip’, now might be the time. Wait another season and you may be paying for the finished product. I doubt Soulé is even on our radar, but in the event where we’re looking for an emerging talent on the continent who wouldn’t cost the earth, Soulé would be my pick and should we not make a move for him (because let’s face it, we just won’t 😅) then I for one will certainly be keeping a close eye on his progress next season.
Read our alternative goalkeeper transfer piece on Noah Atubolu here
