Given the attacking options already at Unai Emery’s disposal, it’s questionable as to whether Arsenal need to strengthen in that department.
The Spanish tactician will have Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Alexandre Lacazette, Mesut Ozil and Henrikh Mkhitaryan to offer quality in the final third, while it could be argued that based on defensive statistics from last season, he would be well advised to focus on his defence instead.
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However, according to TuttoMercatoWeb, as re-reported by The Express, he could make an opportunistic swoop for Sporting winger Gelson Martins, who may potentially leave the Portuguese giants on a free transfer this summer if his contract gets rescinded following the shocking attack on the players by a group of fans.
Martins, 23, came through the youth ranks at Sporting before making his breakthrough with the senior side in 2014.
Since then, he’s gone on to score 25 goals in 125 appearances, while earning 18 caps with Portugal and has been named in the squad for the World Cup in Russia this summer.
For the reason mentioned above given Emery’s options in attack, it’s debatable as to whether this would be a sensible move.
Nevertheless, what it would potentially do is offer him a different dynamic in the final third, as Martins will provide genuine width and pace on either flank while the likes of Ozil and Mkhitaryan will always have the tendency to drift inside where they’re more effective.
With that in mind, it remains to be seen if Arsenal choose to swoop, particularly if he’s available on a free, as that would surely make it a more sensible decision with suggestions that Arsenal will have a restricted budget this summer of around £70m, as per The Telegraph.