Despite the fact that Arsenal are searching to significantly upgrade their starting line-up, in particular in the attacking area, there is an existing crop of talent in the positions at the club. Mikel Arteta has had plenty of attacking talent to choose from.
The striker position was occupied by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah. The former pair will both not be part of Arsenal’s plans next season with the Gabon striker having left in January and Lacazette’s deal expiring in June.
Nketiah however remains a club priority to renew and Edu is keen to add Manchester City forward Gabriel Jesus to the group this summer. Beyond this potential pairing though is plenty of talent. Gabriel Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith-Rowe, Reiss Nelson and Nicolas Pepe are all available for next season.
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However, football.london understands that Pepe’s change of agency is with a move away from the club in mind. Nelson’s future too is uncertain having returned from an impressive season-long loan with Feyenoord and with just one year remaining on his deal.
Should the pair leave, Arsenal would certainly have space to invest in a wide player and the club has been linked to a number including Serge Gnabry and Moussa Diaby. However, one of the more prominent names leading up to the transfer window was Cody Gakpo.
The PSV wide forward has more than 30 goal contributions and for some time the Gunners were said to be leading the race. However, the issue with signing Gakpo is his affiliation with playing from the left.
Nelson and Pepe are both right-wingers and Martinelli and Smith-Rowe have provided options for the left. Adding Gakpo could create congestion in the position. Or perhaps not?
Gabriel Martinelli has seen his stock increase last season and finally began to flourish under Mikel Arteta. He has typically been deployed on the left, but on a couple of occasions, he was used on the right and starred.
The away trip to Old Trafford was a particular highlight and our football.london Arsenal writer Kaya Kaynak gave him a nine out of ten in our post-match player ratings. He came on and played right wing against Newcastle too and scored a fantastic goal, latching onto a volley from a Takehiro Tomiyasu lofted through ball.
Arteta has therefore prepared the Brazilian international to play on the right and were he to see the 20-year-old as a potential competitor with Bukayo Saka, Gakpo could come into the team with the left freed up.
With four competitions to play next season, Saka, Martinelli and Smith-Rowe are sure to have plenty of game time even with the addition of Gakpo or a similar player. Gakpo has also got the potential to play centrally and his physical height difference to the rest of the Gunners’ attack would provide a new dimension in the box.
