Gabriel Martinelli has been teased as a potential new Arsenal striker since the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. And the wheels could finally be in motion for his position after Mikel Arteta’s latest reported transfer target.
According to Dutch news outlet Voetbal international, the Gunners are in pole position to sign Cody Gakpo from PSV Eindhoven. The youngster had been linked with a move to the Emirates in the January transfer window but a deal never managed to materialise.
Gakpo is strongest on the left wing but can also play as a striker. This is similar to Martinelli, meaning if the Dutch forward Joined the club, there could be a lot of interchanging between the new signing and the Brazilian.
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The 22-year-old has played 32 games on the left-hand side for PSV this season and has only played three games as a centre-forward. However, he has shown a clinical nature from whatever position he is playing in, as he has scored 12 goals from the left-wing, and three goals in three games as a striker.
Gakpo would struggle to play as a striker in the Premier League straight away due to the increase in competitiveness of the league compared to the Eredivisie. It would be wise for him to feature on the wings before eventually transitioning into the striker position.
Martinelli has been Arteta’s preferred left winger so far this season. But the Brazilian has been tipped to play as a forward, and Gakpo’s arrival could trigger the position change.
The 21-year-old scored four goals in 14 Premier League games this season, which was the same amount as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in identical games before he departed the club for Barcelona. This highlights that the Brazilian has the pedigree to play in that position.
The Brazilian already played in a more central forward role earlier this season during the Gunners' 2-0 defeat against Chelsea at the Emirates stadium. However, his lack of impact in that match should not cloud over Arteta’s decision to play him there in the future, as the line-up against Chelsea was very weak due to injuries and the Covid-19 situation.
Despite struggling in the position before, Martinelli did prove a success as a centre forward during the 2019/20 season against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup, scoring a brace in an end-to-end 5-5 clash. He played so well in this match that he was endorsed by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, who described the 20-year-old as being an “Incredible striker.”
He was further praised by former Arsenal player Robin van Persie. Speaking on BT Sport as a pundit, the Dutchman said: “The moves he makes, he is always looking for space. I was playing on the wing at that age. With time he will get even better."
If the suggestions from Arsenal’s latest social media video is to be believed, then Martinelli could well be in for a chance of transitioning into the forward role which he was always destined for.
