The palpable anger, frustration, and disappointment over the summer 2025-2026 transfer window makes it easy to fall into a trap of losing objectivity when analyzing new signings. Good thing we have an established process and framework with which to try and remain objective…the operative word being “try!”
With a squad bereft of orthodox wingers of a quality for which Brendan Rodgers has asked, will Sebastian Tounekti fill the bill?
Some context - he just turned 23 years old in July, and out of his nearly 6k minutes coded within Wyscout across all senior club competitions, the right (originally published in error as left) footed winger has played just over 300 minutes wide right. He had another nearly 500 minutes total across central/attacking midfield and striker combined. Perhaps he can adjust to a right sided role, but at least to date, that has not been a material part of his background.
In some respects, his profile reminds me of Nygren’s in Denmark, in that Tounekti played in a Hammerby side that was reasonably adjacent to how Celtic play. That is not inherently a good or bad factor, but it does introduce important context for analyzing his first three graphics within this benchmarking exercise.
23 is not “young” for a wing - it is around the middle of peak age. He is likely about as quick and fast as he will ever get, though he could certainly still develop a little relative to cognitive/decision making.
We see from this first section above that his non-penalty xG per 90 was right at the midpoint of this peer group, which is actually on the “low” side when considering Hammarby have the third highest xG in their league in the 2025 season. Average chance quality has not been good though, with the team 12th of 16 teams so far. Note the low xG per shot percentile for Tounekti.
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