Arsenal could have a big problem soon.
Gabriel Jesus is potentially going to be missing three months of action, as covered by HITC Sport, and the only other number nine in North London right now is Eddie Nketiah.
Talented as he might be, Nketiah hasn’t scored in 12 Premier League outings for Arsenal this season and if the Gunners are to sustain their title challenge, well perhaps another option is needed.
And quite honestly, Gabriel Martinelli through the middle could be Jesus’s surprise replacement at the Emirates Stadium.
Kevin Campbell revealed last year [HITC Sport] that there’s been talk at Arsenal of the 21-year-old being deployed in a central attacking role at some point in the future.
And if you’re wondering who’s going to replace Martinelli on the left-hand side of attack, given how brilliant the Brazil international has been, the answer could be Mykhaylo Mudryk.
Mikel Arteta and Edu are heavily linked with signing the 21-year-old Ukrainian dynamo, who has a £130 million release clause at Shakhtar [Zorya].
However, it’s been reported via Give Me Sport that Arsenal can get their man for £56 million in January.
And if Arteta and Edu do wind up getting the Ukraine international, a natural left winger, then it could perhaps open up the possibility of Martinelli being shifted centrally to replace Jesus.
Nketiah, at 23, is a good young player and one who’ll get better, but just ‘good’ isn’t quite good enough for Arsenal.
The North Londoners need exceptional and even up front, Martinelli may be more likely to provide that than Nketiah.
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