Mikel Arteta will surely be looking at strengthening Arsenal’s attacking options when the January transfer window opens next month.
This is a main priority for the Spaniard, especially considering that summer arrival Gabriel Jesus looks set to face three months out after suffering an injury while representing Brazil at the World Cup in Qatar.
The need for another striker is paramount, especially if the Gunners want to claim their first Premier League title since 2004, and journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that Arteta can find the “answer” by signing Atletico Madrid striker Matheus Cunha.
Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke said: “As I said, he’s a proven player. It just hasn’t worked out for him at Atletico Madrid. So I think if Mikel Arteta does need a stopgap replacement for Gabriel Jesus, then Matheus Cunha can be the right answer.”
Arsenal have been recently linked with the £22m Brazilian striker, and with the 23-year-old finding game-time hard to come by this season in the Spanish capital, a January move could very much be possible.
Cunha has played just 17 times across all competitions this term, starting only twice and accruing a total of 510 minutes on the pitch without scoring, and this form arguably cost the player his place in the Brazil squad for the World Cup.
However, the £50k-per-week hitman does rank in the top 25% for a variety of metrics compared to positional peers throughout Europe’s top five leagues, and these include total shots, shot-creating actions, assists, and dribbles completed. This suggests that, despite not being successful in front of goal, he can still contribute effectively.
Defensively, Cunha ranks in the top 5% of positional peers for tackles, blocks and interceptions. This could be another major benefit for Arteta in having someone who can lead the line but also get stuck in with some dirty work when required.
With Jesus ruled out for the foreseeable, that leaves Eddie Nketiah as the only natural senior striker at the Emirates Stadium. The academy graduate ranks a lowly 18th in the Gunners’ squad by WhoScored with just 6.20, which suggests that he would not be an adequate alternative to his stricken team-mate.
Dubbed “extraordinary” by his former coach Paolo Tramezzani, Cunha appears to have the full package, and with Arteta urgently needing a replacement for Jesus, a January move would potentially work out well for all parties.
from FootballFanCast.com https://ift.tt/XPi2G7U
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