Marc Guiu v Armando Broja – Do Sunderland or Burnley have the better striker?
Sunderland and Burnley are both tasked with the unlikely goal of securing Premier League survival at the first attempt.
As any pundit will tell you, clubs near the bottom need goalscorers, and the pair have made moves to sign one.
Both clubs have raided Chelsea, with Armando Broja joining Burnley permanently, while Marc Guiu is closing in on a loan move to Sunderland.
However, which club has the better deal ahead of a defining Premier League season?
Guiu has bigger goal threat for Sunderland than Broja for Burnley
While there has been a delay in Guiu’s transfer to Sunderland, it is only a matter of time until the transfer is confirmed.
Chelsea inserted a clause in the deal with Sunderland that the Black Cats must pay a fee if he does not play a certain number of games.
The Spaniard has only played in England for one season, although he did represent Barcelona before moving to Stamford Bridge.
As for Broja, he has more substantial experience in this country, having represented Chelsea, Southampton, Fulham, and Everton.
| Statistics | Marc Guiu | Armando Broja |
| Expected goals (xG) per 90 | 0.85 | 0.29 |
| Expected assists (xG) per 90 | 0.12 | 0.07 |
| Total shots per 90 | 4.80 | 1.91 |
| Shots on target per 90 | 2.70 | 0.84 |
| Percentage of shots on target | 56.3% | 44.1% |
The Albanian has made 152 club appearances compared to Guiu’s 21, but their goal threat can still be compared.
As visible in the above table, Guiu betters Broja in terms of expected goals (xG) per 90 minutes, according to FBRef.
Furthermore, the teenager eclipses the Burnley man in his expected assists (xA), demonstrating his overall value to the team.
Guiu also records significantly more shots per 90, with a higher percentage of those on target.
Of course, it must be considered that the Spaniard has played for two of the best clubs in Europe, while Broja has played at opposite ends of the Premier League.
Broja has Premier League experience but poor record
One significant factor that must be considered while analysing the pair is Premier League experience.
Broja has made 76 Premier League appearances for several clubs, but only has eight goals to his name.
Six of those came for Southampton as they were relegated in 2022, but he has since struggled.
- Guiu has provided a better goal threat than Broja
- The Albanian has more Premier League goals to his name
- Both should be given regular starts next season
Of course, Broja needs playing time and an injury-free run in the first team to be truly judged, but the statistics are not encouraging.
As for Guiu, he made only three top-flight appearances last season, but made his mark in the Conference League with six goals.
It seems that both are going to be given a pivotal role within their respective teams next season, and they will be judged on their numbers.
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