For Arsenal to add two forwards this winter would be the result of a reaction to Gabriel Jesus’ injury and a ruthlessness lacking from the January market of 2022 when the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was not covered. Mikel Arteta knows that his side is short in attack, made worse by a recent injury to Reiss Nelson too.
However, with ruthlessness must come accuracy and composure. Seeking desperately to find an individual who can add cover and quality can sometimes lead to rushed decisions which lead to poor results; something Arsenal are no stranger to.
The deals for the likes of Denis Suarez, Henrikh Mkhitaryan, Kim Kallstrom and Andrey Arshavin are not seen back through the annuls of Gunners' transfer history as successes and potentially blocked the path or space for something better. There was a chance that the Gunners could repeat this with several reports linking the club to Atletico Madrid’s Matheus Cunha.
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The Brazilian however has since reached an agreement with Wolves to sign on a loan with the club having to pay Atleti between €40m and €50m in the summer according to Fabrizio Romano. Although Arsenal may have dodged this potential trap, others are sure to come up and with the figures seen for a player such as Cunha, it promotes even more price inflation of players.
What is often forgotten is that beyond the amount of money invested when signing a player, there is another investment made when buying somebody. A squad only has so many slots and these slots are divided into different categories of positions.
When signing a player permanently, the club commits a spot in the 25-man squad to that player. It remains filled through the length of their contract or spell with the side and often needs to be vacated before another player in a similar role is brought in.
Cunha, for example, has talent, but does he have the quality worth investing in and filling a spot in this squad? Perhaps thankfully we won't find out.
Arsenal currently have striker Folarin Balogun out on loan in France and have watched as he’s scored eight goals in 15 appearances in Ligue 1. He has impressed starting regularly for Reims and matured during his time away.
The striker has a recall clause in his contract football.london understands and, should they choose, can bring the forward back. Does it not make more sense to recall a player scoring goals and already at the club than risk both money, in terms of a transfer fee and wages, in addition to a spot in this carefully constructed Arsenal squad?
In short, for me, it isn’t. Especially when there is a much safer alternative in Balogun should the club be so desperate to have an additional forward.
Jesus’ injury is expected to keep him out for potentially three months which would see a late February/early March return. Eddie Nketiah, Gabriel Martinelli, Emile Smith Rowe and Fabio Vieira could be sufficient options for Arteta to utilise in the games over this period plus the added wide-forward football.london understands Arsenal certainly wants this winter.
Arsenal must keep their composure in the market and make smart choices. Failing to do so might not only affect this season but successive ones that will follow.
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