Arsenal may be forced to sell one of Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli to generate the funds required to sign a big-name striker in the summer transfer window.
Arsenal ready to sell first-team star to fund summer transfer move for striker
The Gunners’ failure to strengthen up front has been highlighted by fans and pundits alike as a key factor in Mikel Arteta’s side once again dropping off the pace in the race for the Premier League title.
Not since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang have Arsenal possessed an out-and-out centre-forward capable of scoring 30 goals-a-season and injuries to Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz and Bukayo Saka have further limited Arteta’s attacking options this season.
The Arsenal head coach confirmed that plans were in place to bring in a possible solution up front in January – but the transfer deadline came and went without the north Londoners making any additions.
Widespread reports indicated that Arsenal had lodged an unsuccessful offer for Aston Villa and England forward Ollie Watkins, who has previously spoken of his ‘dream’ of playing for the Gunners.
Arne Slot’s rampant Liverpool have since increased their lead at the top of the Premier League table to 13 points and appears a switch has now finally been flicked at the Emirates.
According to The Mirror, Arsenal could be prepared to sacrifice one of either Trossard or Martinelli to help fund a bid for a proven goalscorer capable of taking the club to the next level.
Both Trossard and Martinelli have been attracting strong interest from the Saudi Pro League and neither player is deemed untouchable within Arsenal’s hierarchy.
Trossard has more than lived up to his £20million price tag since joining from Brighton in January 2023, but has entered into the final 18 months of his contract with the Gunners.
Martinelli, meanwhile, who has blown hot and cold across an injury-hit season, still has two-and-a-half years remaining on his current deal in north London.
It’s claimed Arteta is a ‘huge admirer’ of Newcastle sensation Alexander Isak, though RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is viewed as the more ‘realistic’ option among club bosses.
The report adds that Arsenal are also keen to bring in a new signing on the left wing and Nico Williams finds himself at the top of their shortlist of transfer targets.
Arteta has made no secret of the fact he and the club were left ‘disappointed’ by their inability to bolster their attacking options in January.
‘We had a clear intention which is always when a window opens to explore the opportunities to improve our squad,’ the Spaniard told reporters.
‘With players with injuries, we’ve been impacted and we haven’t achieved it.
‘We are disappointed in that sense but as well we are very aware that we only want to bring certain kinds of players and we have to be very disciplined with that as well.
‘When you try your best and do things, you see the people and we share the same intentions, when you don’t achieve it okay, for sure there are things to learn from it.
‘But you have to move on and that is a piece that was important in the moment, but now we’ve moved on.
‘It’s in the profile, a player that can make us better. Financially there is a lot of ways, a lot of things that we must stay in the lane that has taken us this far and from there try to improve.’