Arsenal Transfer News: Gunners Followed Anthony Martial, Latest Rumours

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed the Gunners have known about new Manchester United signing Anthony Martial “since he was a kid” but didn't see the “exceptional talent” as a viable transfer target as he plays at a position where the Gunners had no need for reinforcements.

The Daily Express' Uche Amako reported the comments, in which the French manager made it clear he sees Martial as a winger, not a striker:

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We have known about him since he was a kid. He is more a winger-type but is an exceptional talent. I believe he plays in positions where we have Chamberlain, Sanchez, Campbell. We have plenty of players in his positions.

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Martial joined the Red Devils in a deal worth £36 million, although that fee could still rise significantly if the 19-year-old hits certain incentives. Even United manager Louis van Gaal has described the fee as “ridiculous,” per Sky Sports.

The move easily made Bleacher Report's Andy Brassell's list of biggest transfer window surprises:

Martial is widely regarded as one of the most promising young forwards in the world, but he has limited experience on the highest level. Last year, he scored nine goals in 19 Ligue 1 starts, per WhoScored.com. That's a solid return but hardly worthy of such a lofty fee.

United are banking on his impressive potential, and it seems likely they'll be using Martial the same way Monaco did―as a striker.

For a teenager, he already has impressive strength and the frame to add some muscle, although he won't want to push his weight too much, as his raw athleticism is arguably his greatest asset.

It's this athleticism that gives him the versatility to play as a winger, the position Wenger apparently believes would be his best. And with the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Theo Walcott and Alexis Sanchez already in the squad, the Gunners don't have a need for another hybrid forward who can play out wide or through the centre.

What Arsenal do seemingly need is a pure striker to add some competition for Olivier Giroud. The Frenchman hasn't been in great form to start the 2015-16 season, and as shared by Ligue 1 writer Mohammed Ali, he didn't look particularly impressive on international duty, either:

Giroud has been Arsenal's striker by default for some time now, and while the 28-year-old has proven himself to be a very solid player, he's not the world-class scorer people usually associate with Premier League-winning sides.

As of right now, neither is Martial, and given his experience and proven contributions on the Premier League level, Giroud would be a far better option to start for the Gunners immediately. If Wenger didn't see Martial as a striker, he made the smart decision passing on his young compatriot and letting United throw a wad of cash at Monaco instead.

Then again, Juventus didn't see Thierry Henry as a striker, either, and Arsenal's decision to gamble on that young Frenchman paid off in a big way. Whether Martial's ceiling is anywhere close to Henry's remains to be seen, but even if he becomes half the player the Gunners legend was, United's £36 million investment will be considered a steal.

Arsenal to Move for Aymeric Laporte?

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According to Mundo Deportivo (h/t Daily Star's Luke Gardener), the Gunners, United and Chelsea will all consider making a move for Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte in January, with the trio of Premier League clubs willing to trigger his £36 million buyout clause.

The 21-year-old centre-back has emerged as one of the most promising young defenders in the world and, unlike Martial, has already proven himself on the highest level, having led Bilbao's defence in the past two seasons.

It's important to note the reported clause of £36 million is a buyout clause, not a release clause: Because the player himself has to pay the selling club, the eventual transfer fee will be subject to tax and therefore higher, as explained by Sportskeeda's Nikhil Srivastava. Buyout clauses are mandatory in Spain.

But even if the eventual transfer fee is higher than the £36 million cited in Gardener's report, it's easy to see a host of Premier League clubs willing to pay big for the young Frenchman. A strong and physical centre-back who dominates in the air, Laporte looks like a natural fit for the fast pace and physical playing style of the English game.

It's actually a bit of a surprise Laporte didn't move during the summer, given his tremendous reputation throughout Europe, but he's still a developing prospect who has spent the bulk of his career with Athletic―it's likely he decided it would be best for his progression to stay in a place he knows.

Laporte seems like a prime candidate to move after Euro 2016, but a January transfer seems unlikely. He needs a big season to graduate from France's Under-21 squad to the senior side ahead of the upcoming Euro tournament, and a mid-season move can only harm his chances of achieving that goal.

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