Arsenal Transfer News: Luciano Vietto Move Encouraged, Jackson Martinez Rumours

A new striker would excite plenty of Arsenal supporters this summer, and the Gunners have been encouraged to move for Villarreal star Luciano Vietto by a former player.

Speaking with Sky Sports (h/t Liam Corless of the Daily Mirror), ex-Gunners star Charlie Nicholas claimed that Olivier Giroud is good enough to fire Arsenal to the title, but if the club is looking to add another forward, Vietto could well be the best option:

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I don’t think Wenger particularly wants or needs a new striker—we can win the league with Olivier Giroud. But if we are to get one in, rather than go for a big name, I’d like to see us target Luciano Vietto, the young Argentinian lad at Villarreal.

He’s an Arsenal type of player—he’s all about good movement, but his touch is good too and I think we could get him at a good price. He might need a bit of time to adapt, but he’s got so much potential.

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Vietto has been extremely impressive during his maiden La Liga campaign. While Villarreal have tailed off toward the end of the season, the 21-year-old has been an effervescent presence at the point of their attack when he’s played.

As noted earlier in the season by Spanish football expert Sergi Dominguez, Vietto has spades of natural talent:

The intricacy, intelligence and industry in his play would make him a brilliant fit for Arsenal, too. Vietto is adept at stretching defences with his searing pace, but his technical ability means he’d be equally capable dropping off the front and linking up with the Gunners’ array of polished midfield options.

Adding another facet to their offensive forays would certainly give Arsenal a better chance of challenging for Premier League glory next year, something that Bleacher Report’s James McNicholas thinks they are capable of doing:

But after making a major switch from Racing Club to Villarreal last summer, a move to the Premier League could be too much too soon for this young man. Indeed, he’s only started a total of 15 games in La Liga this season and is still a very raw talent, as is evident by an average of 1.9 dispossessions per game, per WhoScored.com.

Kerstin Joensson/Associated Press

Another season as a regular starter at El Madrigal would allow Vietto to continue refining his precocious talent. If he can continue to develop and add some underpinning consistency to complement the panache he’s showcased in bursts this season, then the likes of Arsenal will not take long to come calling.

Gunners Given 'Green Light' to Bid for Jackson Martinez

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According to Charles Perrin of the Daily Express, Arsenal are the latest team to show an interest in Porto forward Jackson Martinez, with Spanish newspaper Sport reporting that the Portuguese giants are already eyeing up replacements for the rumbustious Colombian.

The piece claims that the Londoners subsequently have the "green light" to bid for the striker. Here’s a look at the kind of qualities he would bring to the Gunners’ front line:

Martinez has long been one of the standout men in this exciting Porto team. Their attacking options are bristling with vibrant, silky players, but the striker’s refined hold-up play and indomitable physical presence knits everything together superbly.

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As noted recently by Portuguese football expert Tom Kundert, if the 28-year-old does leave the club this summer, he’s going to be very difficult to replace:

Arsenal doesn’t quite seem like the right fit, though. First, from a financial standpoint, it’s extremely unlikely that Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is going to trigger the player’s £29 million release clause, per Perrin’s piece, when he’s 28 years old.

Stylistically, he’s not what Arsenal need either. Whether the Colombian is a better player than Giroud is another matter entirely, but they are very similar in their abilities as strikers. If the Gunners are looking to bolster their options up front this summer, then they’d be much better suited targeting a Vietto-type player than someone in the Martinez mould.