Arsenal Transfer News: Why Sebastian Giovinco Is Not the Answer

Arsenal have been linked with a host of forwards ever since the injuries to Olivier Giroud, Nicklas Bendtner and more recently, Theo Walcott who will be out for six months, reports BBC Sport. With these injuries coinciding with the start of the January transfer window, the latest link according to Gianluca Di Marzio, is Juventus striker Sebastian Giovinco whose agent has been reportedly contacted by the Gunners. The Italian, however, isn't quite the answer to Arsenal's problems.

While Giovinco plays for the Serie A champions and is blessed with speed and talent, the Turin born striker has become a fringe player in recent months, having only started two league games this season while scoring just five goals for the Bianconeri in 2013.

Usually accustomed to playing with a striker both for Italy and Juventus, Giovinco would be considerably less effective if he joined Arsenal where one would assume he would play as the lone forward—also assuming he were to start a game. One just needs to look at Javier Hernandez whenever he plays as a lone forward for Manchester United to see how ineffective the smaller strikers are in England and Giovinco's 5'5" frame won't help his cause in a physical league such as the Premier League.

Known as the Atomic Ant, Giovinco has also barely been explosive since returning to Juventus, rarely providing moments of magic while his finishing hasn't been the best either with only 11 goals from 126 shots (ESPN) since the start of the 2012/2013 season. Unable to make a consistent impact and mostly used as a substitute, Giovinco wouldn't pose any vast improvement to the Arsenal strike force.

While a change of scene and new manager may help him, one must question how a striker who has failed to produce for the best team in Italy given the service he's getting, would do in a superior and tougher league.

There are simply better options out there.