After a strong end to last season and the successful defence of their FA Cup it’s no secret that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be looking to strengthen his squad this summer in order to mount a serious challenge for the Premier League title and to progress further in the Champions League next season.
Many feel the key to this is to bring in a high quality striker and this week the Metro are reporting that Arsenal are ‘clear to complete’ the transfer of FC Porto’s prolific goal scorer Jackson Martinez after a bid for him from Atletico Madrid had been turned down.
The Colombian international has been among the best forwards in Europe this campaign bagging himself 21 goals in the Portuguese League and finishing as the top goal scorer. Some fans may argue that the Portuguese league isn't a high enough level but Martinez has added an extra seven goals to his tally in the Champions League.
Arsenal’s strikers have been very inconsistent this season. Olivier Giroud has scored 14 goals in the Premier League but eight of them came after January. Theo Walcott has battled injury this season and only made a comeback in the second half of the season. Even so he grabbed 7 goals in the BPL and the FA Cup in just 15 appearances, including a hat-trick against West Bromwich Albion.
Danny Welbeck signed for Arsenal for £16million from Manchester United on deadline day last summer and in his debut season made 24 appearances for the Gunners, scoring just 4 times in the league. He spent most of the season playing out on the wing, a fate that he left the Red Devils to avoid.
In the same summer that Arsenal signed Mesut Ozil they also signed a 20 year old Yaya Sanogo. Now 22, this season was destine to be the youngsters breakthrough season after he netted 3 goals against AS Monaco in pre-season. He was given more than enough chances by Arsene Wenger to do so but never nailed down a starting spot. He failed to find the net once all season in the BPL and was shipped off on loan to Crystal Palace in January. While on loan he managed only one goal in the FA Cup and hardly featured under new manager Alan Pardew.
Jackson Martinez has had a blinding season in comparison and I feel he would fit into Arsenal’s system perfectly. He is quick, tall, agile, strong and great on the ball, just how Wenger likes his men at the top. He could be likened to a combination of Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud. He would be the ideal Premier League striker and is just what the Gunners need to make a push for the Premier League title and to progress far in the Champions League.
Source: DSG
