Why Arsenal should try Gabriel Martinelli in a new role

Kolkata, February 21: As per reports in England, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been training Gabriel Martinelli as a number nine in recent training sessions of the Gunners.

The Brazilian forward has been enjoying his best season since joining the Gunners, scoring four Premier League goals in 11 starts, even though he had a disappointing last outing as he was sent off in the win at Wolves for picking up two bookings in just 5sec

The 20-year-old usually plays as a wide forward from the left hand side, cutting in from the outside as Gunners' icon Thierry Henry used to when he was at the Highbury. Arsene Wenger eventually converted the legendary Frenchman into a number nine and Arteta could repeat the trick with Martinelli.

Following the departure of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in January, the Gunners currently have just two natural centre forwards in their ranks in the form of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah. The two strikers have just three Premier League goals between them this campaign which is far from encouraging for Arsenal's hopes for top four.

The time between now and the summer would be ideal for Arteta to try Martinelli in the number nine role and if it does not work out, the Gunners can work things out in the summer. The Gunners are expected to invest on a number nine anyway during the number nine and Martinelli shining in that role can possibly save them millions.

Martinelli switching to number nine role would open up a regular space in the starting XI for Emile Smith Rowe on the left flank. The England international, despite not being a regular in the starting XI, is the Gunners' top scorer this season with ten strikers in all competitions and nine in the Premier League.

Having Martinelli, Saka, Smith Rowe and Odegaard all playing together would also make the Gunners much more fluid and unpredictable thanks to the mobility and pace they offer unlike Lacazette who neither gets involved much in the build up nor manages to find the back of the net often.

Lacazette and Nketiah are both expected to leave this summer anyway with their contracts up for expiry and having done nothing to warrant an extension.