Martin Keown has said on talkSPORT (10:55am, February 4, 2022) that Gabriel Martinelli could replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as the main striker at Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal.
Aubameyang has left Arsenal and joined Spanish and European giants Barcelona on a free transfer.
The Gunners did not bring in a replacement for the 32-year-old Gabon international striker.
Arteta now has Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as his two main strikers.
Martinelli is more a forward who is better out wide, but former Arsenal defender Keown believes that Arteta could use the 20-year-old Brazilian – who cost the Gunners £6 million in transfer fees (Goal).
Keown said: “Is Martinelli going to go down the middle? That might be an option.”
Could Gabriel Martinelli replace Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang at Arsenal?
In our view, Martinelli has what it takes to replace Aubameyang as the main striker at Arsenal.
The Brazilian is a very mobile striker who can score goals and link up well with fellow attacking players.
Now, of course, Aubameyang is much more experienced and more established, but Arsenal were doing well without the former Borussia Dortmund star in recent games.
Martinelli has played most of his games so far this season out wide, but Arteta could decide to deploy him more centrally and still allow him the freedom to drift wide.
The Arsenal no. 35 has scored four goals and provided two assists in 10 Premier League starts so far this season.
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