'Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli headed for Arsenal exit'

Today at 12:41 PM

Arsenal forwards Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz continue to be critiqued as the club are being linked to replace the attackers.

The Gunners are reportedly eyeing several attacking targets, but the current players at the club are under scrutiny for their poor performances. They haven't scored from open play in the last three Premier League games.

Martinelli has scored only three goals this season, while Bukayo Saka, on the opposite wing, has contributed 21 goals and assists in just 22 games.

With strong reports linking the club to Dusan Vlahovic in January, the club may already be looking to replace their £65 million striker Havertz [BBC Sport].

However, if no move goes ahead, Mikel Arteta may also face criticism for his past attacking signings, which have put them in this position.

Arsenal need a prolific front-line and everyone knows it

Jamie Carragher discussed the topic on Monday Night Football on Sky Sports, highlighting how Saka has surpassed his teammates and become "one of the best players in European football".

However, he pointed out that their attack doesn't match that of their title rivals, which has hindered their progress.

He said, "When you see Saka on the right side and look at what Arsenal have on the left side, it's like chalk and cheese.

"The reason I've never really backed Arsenal [to win the league] is because I've always felt they're a world-class attacker short. When you think about what the other teams have…

“Arsenal haven't got that quality".

There's no doubt that the North London club can score goals, having netted 91 goals last season and 88 the year before. Both times, they finished second to Man City. But that's exactly where City has triumphed over their title rivals in recent years.

They simply don't have that central figure who can score 20-plus goals, let alone be mentioned alongside Erling Haaland, who can score 38 goals in a season.

Havertz was never intended to be a striker when he was signed; he was viewed as a 'left 8' by the Spanish coach [The Athletic]. After that experiment failed, he was shifted to striker.

However, the German has scored only one goal in his last eight outings. In those eight league games, Arteta's side has picked up just 13 points out of a possible 24—an unconvincing run for potential title challengers.

Mikel Arteta has a left-side issue

The club have also been linked to left-wingers over the years, including Nico Williams, Mykhailo Mudryk, and more recently Marcus Rashford.

The latter has proven his ability to score in abundance, having netted 30 goals in a season just a couple of years ago. They need that kind of attacking potency if they are to become champions.

While Arteta has already signed Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Jesus, and Raheem Sterling as attacking options, none of them have made a significant impact this season.

His side is in need of a prolific scorer to strengthen their title challenge, so if they spend big money on one, it wouldn’t be a surprise. But if they don’t, it could well be another season trophy-less.

In other news, Arsenal are open to letting a first-team player run down his contract.

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The post 'Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli headed for Arsenal exit' appeared first on Football Insider.