Arsenal have entered the race to sign Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez this summer, but Mikel Arteta has been given a worrying reminder after previous transfer mistakes at the club.
Until recently, Arsenal have never been a club that throws large sums of money at new signings, but they broke their philosophy to fit with the modern game. Since 2017, a combined £170million has been spent on Alexandre Lacazette, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Nicolas Pepe.
It's fair to say that they haven't received the expected return on investment, as they only have an FA Cup to show for it. And this is why Arteta should be cautious before splashing out on Martinez in the summer.
Arsenal may have led English football into a new era at the beginning of the century, as Arsene Wenger revolutionised dieting and training in the Premier League. But Arsenal went from being the innovators to lagging behind, and they're still suffering as a result.
Like the rest of the Premier League, they have now started to up their spend, and they spent more than any other side last summer. But it's likely to be another expensive transfer window as Arteta has been left with no choice but to go out and find a new striker.
Aubameyang and Lacazette were both signed by Wenger towards the end of his reign, with the Frenchman being brought in for £42m, before their club transfer record was broken in January 2018 by Aubameyang, who signed for £56m. It was smashed again in 2019 by Unai Emery as Pepe arrived at the Emirates for £72m. But Aubameyang has since left after an ugly fall out with Arteta, and Pepe has flopped since signing.
Lacazette remains, but the Frenchman looks set to leave this summer on a free transfer, as does Eddie Nketiah who is keen on a move elsewhere. And with Pepe being a complete flop at Arsenal, it's fair to say that their attacking recruitment has been rather shambolic over the past five years.
But Arsenal have no choice but to dip into the market again, as Arteta could be left with no strikers for next season if Lacazette and Nketiah depart. Arsenal are reportedly keeping tabs on Manchester City star Gabriel Jesus, and they have also joined the race for Martinez.
According to The Times, Inter have quoted Arsenal £60m for Martinez, but it hands Arteta with a tricky decision to make. Do Arsenal steer clear due to their worrying track record, or is the Argentine the man to break the curse at the club?
The report states that Arsenal are looking to bring in two new attackers though, and if they also match City's reported valuation of £40m for Jesus, it could be another £100m spend at the Emirates. But it may be a risk that Arteta has to take, especially if they qualify for the Champions League.
Arsenal will need a bigger squad to compete in Europe, something which they missed out on for the first time in 26 years last season. And to even stand a chance of signing the pair, they must finish in the top four this season, as both players want to be in Europe's elite competition.
They are just four games away from doing so, and they must either match, or better Tottenham's results until the end of the season to secure fourth spot. Arsenal are on the verge of making a giant step in their rebuild under Arteta, but they must change their fate in the transfer market to avoid another collapse.
