Abdul-Aziz Yakubu Scout Report
Abdul-Aziz Yakubu, a 25-year-old Ghanaian striker, is swiftly asserting himself as a powerful force on Rio Ave's front line in the Primeira Liga. However, he is somewhat of a paradox. His ranking in Goal Efficiency (63.64%) and Progressive Passing (69.7%) is outstanding among his peers, underscoring his acute finishing ability and forward-thinking vision. His per 90 stats for both goals (72.73%) and assists (69.7%) are also impressive, indicating his consistent contribution to his team's attacking play.
Despite these commendable attributes, Yakubu's overall threat level paints a less flattering picture, as he ranks alarmingly low at a mere 3.03%. This suggests he's not generating opportunities or posing enough danger to opponents. Equally concerning is his Ball Recovery and Retention percentile, pegged at a meagre 9.09% for both, indicating a potential weakness in maintaining possession. His relatively low rankings in Chance Creation (27.27%) and Progressive Carrying (18.18%) are other areas he could develop.
Additionally, his averages for Pass Accuracy per 90 (51.52%), xA per 90 (48.48%), and xG per 90 (45.45%) are middling, further underlying his potential room for improvement. Meanwhile, his Shots per 90 sits at a surprisingly low 9.09%. This shows him as an efficient finisher but not prolific in terms of producing shots, which is quite surprising for a forward.
In essence, while Yakubu demonstrates commendable goal scoring efficiency and vision, he may need to work on his threat level, possession skills, and shot creation to elevate his game and pose a more rounded threat to opponents. Yet, given his age, there's ample time for him to improve and refine his game further.