Arsenal legend Paul Merson has urged Mikel Arteta to convert Gabriel Martinelli into a striker to avoid spending £70million on a new striker.
The Gunners are likely to enter the transfer market for a centre-forward in the summer after allowing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to join Barcelona last month.
Manager Arteta currently has just two senior strikers to choose from - Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah - who are both of out of contract in June.
Arsenal were reportedly after a number of strikers in January - including Dusan Vlahovic, Alexander Isak and Dominic Calvert-Lewin - but failed to make a signing.
Arteta could be forced into deploying a makeshift No9 during some of Arsenal's final 17 Premier League games this term and Merson has backed Martinelli to flourish in the role.
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The Brazilian, 20, is a winger, although he's still young enough to adapt his position.
Martinelli has scored nine goals in 42 Premier League appearances since joining the Gunners from Brazilian outfit Ituano in the summer of 2019.
Four of those goals have come this season, with the youngster emerging as one of Arsenal's most promising talents.
"If I were Mikel Arteta, I’d start playing Gabriel Martinelli up front," Merson told Sportskeeda.
"Arsenal could spend a lot of money on a striker, but the player they’re looking for might already be at the club. Martinelli is lively and quick – he has what it takes.
"He should get a run till the end of the season, and might save Arsenal £70m."
Writing in his most recent column for the Daily Star, Merson added: "I would give Gabriel Martinelli a go up front. You can’t rely on Alexandre Lacazette to get you goals.
"I would play Martinelli there. Take a chance on him. He’s very lively. Very quick. Defenders don’t like that. If he gets away from you, he’s in. He’s bright, and he’s a good finisher.
"He could be the superstar Arsenal are waiting for, and they play through the lines, they play delicate little balls that he thrives on. Give him a go."
Lacazette has scored just three Premier League goals this season. Nketiah, meanwhile, hasn't found the back of the net in the league, although he's made just four outings.
Speaking to FourFourTwo in 2020, Arteta suggested Martinelli is a natural centre-forward but was deployed out on the left due to Arsenal's depth in that position.
At the time, the Gunners boss had both Lacazette and Aubameyang to call on. "With the squad balance that we have at the moment... on the left we don’t have players," said Arteta.
Martinelli, however, has previously expressed his desire to play on the left.
"I really like playing on the left end," he told Marca in February 2020. "It is my favourite position. I give myself to the maximum for the team.
"I always give 100 per cent for my team to end the game winning."
