Arsenal have worked hard in the past two transfer windows and the ongoing summer period of 2022 to overhaul, improve and strengthen the group. This led to a top-four challenge that surprised many last season, with even greater ambition for the upcoming campaign beginning to grow.
Gabriel Jesus has arrived as a serious statement striker for Arsenal. He encompasses every characteristic that Mikel Arteta’s attacking line needed and his seven goals in five preseason games have been clear evidence of this.
However, there is a concern that should the Brazilian face a serious fitness problem during the campaign, Arsenal would be left worrying short in their striker department. Eddie Nketiah renewed his contract and is admired a lot by manager Mikel Arteta.
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But even if he was to succeed, with four competitions to play in, shouldering the striker burden alone appears like a risk for Arsenal to take. Gabriel Martinelli is the current starting left wide forward and could feature in the middle if necessary.
However, with the decision to send Folarin Balogun on loan, with the 20-year-old closing on a move to Reims for the season, the pressure has risen for Edu to reinforce the attack. An out-and-out striker is not a necessity, in fact, a wide forward with the versatility to cover centrally would make more sense.
There are few strikers that would be tempted to come and play second fiddle to Jesus with little guarantee of even secondary game time with Nketiah in there. Therefore, adding a wide player could be the answer.
Arsenal did try to pursue Leeds United winger Raphinha but quickly found that his desire to make the switch to Barcelona saw that avenue closed. Links to Cody Gakpo make sense.
The Dutchman plays wide left for PSV but can play in the middle and has featured to a much lesser degree on the right. His height, power and versatility are traits Arteta clearly likes.
Time though is running thin. Arsenal are fortunate that their first five games of the season before the window closes are all that can be described as winnable considering the squad available to Mikel Arteta, even with current injuries.
Beyond August though and the tougher games come thick and fast. Of course, January can be utilised but going off last winter, the current regime doesn’t have the best record in the mid-season window.
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