Arsenal are plotting a summer move for Atletico Madrid flop Gelson Martins, it has been claimed.
According to A Bola(via Talksport), Arsenal are eyeing a move for the Portuguese international, who is currently on loan at AS Monaco after failing to make an impact at the Wanda Metropolitano.
Martins has impressed during his time in France, which has once again attracted the interest of Arsenal as they aim to bulk up their attacking option in the summer.
Gelson Martins: A smart choice by Emery
It goes without saying that Arsenal will be in desperate need of attacking reinforcements in the summer if they are to compete with the likes of Manchester City and co. next season.
On the contrary, though, the Gunners are set to lose the services of Aaron Ramsey, who will join Juventus on a free transfer next season while Mesut Ozil is likely to be offloaded by Unai Emery in the summer, after failing to make an impact in the first team this season, thus accentuating the need of a new attacker. And that’s where Gelson Martins comes into the fray.
The young Portuguese is primarily a winger, who is equipped with quick-feet and a burst of pace that allows him to provide a threat on the counter. He also has loads of tricks up his sleeve that allows him to take on defenders, which can be useful in probing the opposition.
In fact, Martins has averaged nearly two completed dribbles per game since moving to France in January. This is significantly more than any other Arsenal player this season, meaning the 23-year-old will certainly be able to bring forth some flair in the Gunners’ attacking department.
Moreover, Martins can also offer creativity up top, having averaged one key pass per game since joining Monaco, which could be beneficial for Arsenal, should Ozil leave the club in the summer.
Martins’ ability to exploit spaces in wider position will allow Emery to utilize club’s top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in a more central role while Henrikh Mkhitaryan may finally be able to start in his preferred attacking midfield position, thus strengthening the collective identity of the Arsenal attack.
However, it is unclear how much Martins could cost, especially with tension brewing between Atletico Madrid and Sporting CP regarding the compensation of his initial departure from Portugal. But considering the quality of the player, Arsenal should definitely settle for anything around the €25-40 million mark.
Stat courtesy: Whoscored