Sammie Szmodics: The Blackburn hotshot who could be set for a big move
After Viktor Gyökeres took the Sky Bet Championship by storm last season, there is a new player grabbing the headlines for their goal scoring form.
Sammie Szmodics’ two goals against Sunderland on Monday took his tally to 23 and cemented his place at the top of the Championship goalscoring charts.
The 28-year-old has been nothing short of a messiah for Blackburn Rovers, whose financial issues meant they could not replace top scorer Ben Brereton Diaz following his exit last summer.
But few would have expected Szmodics to step up to such an extent - his 23 goals in the league make up over 40% of Blackburn's total.
He is also the current top scorer in FA Cup with six goals in just three games. All of this is even more impressive given that he has not scored a single penalty, and not led the line in most of these games.
But Szmodics has not stopped there, and has also picked up some of the creative burden after the departure of Bradley Dack. He ranks second for chances created and assists within the squad.
The Republic of Ireland international has now capped off his career-best campaign by making his long-awaited debut against Belgium during last month’s international break.
Sammie Szmodics Transfer Value - how much is he worth now?
According to our Player Valuation Model, Szmodics has a current Estimated Transfer Value (ETV) of €3.4 million.
There is incredible talent in the lower English leagues for anyone who cares to find it.
Szmodics is a prime example of this, having never played above Championship level and joining Blackburn from a Peterborough side which had just been relegated.
His value has more than doubled since the start of the season, and has quickly eclipsed the €2 million fee which brought him to Ewood Park.
Celtic and a host of Premier League clubs are reported to be interested in Szmodics.
With his stock at an all-time high, Blackburn will find it very hard to keep hold of him should a significant offer come in.
The numbers behind Szmodics’ goals
Szmodics primarily operates as an attacking midfielder, yet his remarkable versatility sees him frequently feature as a centre-forward and winger.
Sammie has been occupying more advanced positions this season and his ability to link play and make intelligent runs into the box makes him a handful for any defence.
This is reflected in his involvement on the pitch, with fewer touches in the middle and defensive thirds compared to last season, but an increase to 4.9 touches in the attacking penalty area (up from 2.8) and 22.3 touches in the attacking third (up from 14.1) per 90.
His excellent positioning, especially in the box, has led to his expected goals (xG) figure tripling to an impressive 0.47 per 90.
But it’s not just about getting into great goalscoring positions, it's importantly what you do after that.
expected goals on target (xGOT) is a post-shot variation of xG that assesses the quality of shots on target based on their end location. A higher xGOT value compared to the xG suggests better finishing ability.
Szmodics’ xGOT of 0.55 per 90 is much higher than his xG figure. The clinical edge he has added to his game has been quite remarkable to witness.
He has mastered the art of opening up his body and guiding the ball into the corner. Compared to last season, he is also taking more shots and getting over twice as many on target.
His team-mates have responded to his increased prominence within the squad.
The Blackburn number 8 now receives a lot more progressive passes per 90, as they seek to involve him at every opportunity.
Szmodics’ defensive output has fallen compared to the previous campaign, but his pressing and off the ball work is still crucial to the functioning of the team.
Blackburn sit just five points outside the Championship relegation zone, but with Szmodics in red-hot form, they will back themselves to climb out of trouble.
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