Gabriel Martinelli may be Arsenal’s second leading scorer this season, but the jury is still out on whether he or Leandro Trossard can fire Mikel Arteta’s side to the promised land.
The Brazilian winger frustrated fans with his performance against Wolverhampton Wanderers on Wednesday night, as the Premier League’s bottom-placed side held the Gunners to a draw. Struggling in possession and unable to make an impact in the final third, it would be fair to suggest that this sort of performance from Martinelli inhibits Arsenal’s attack.
Many thought Eberechi Eze would assume some minutes on the left-hand side, but this appears to be an experiment Arteta is unwilling to trial on a regular basis. Thus, the Gunners may well address this position in the summer transfer market, and here are four potential options that they could, and probably ought to, look at.
Nico Williams
Age: 23
Club: Athletic Club
Nico Williams has been linked with a switch to the Emirates for a long time. The Spanish winger lit up Euro 2024 and subsequently attracted interest from a host of clubs throughout the continent, sparking a transfer race in which Arsenal were purportedly frontrunners.
However, the electric wide man ultimately opted to remain at his boyhood club, signing a lucrative ten-year deal last summer. With Athletic Club likely to miss out on a Champions League place, Williams may feel that the next transfer window represents the perfect time to part ways with the Basque outfit.
That said, there are a few question marks around whether investing in the player would be a smart move for Arsenal to make. While certainly a high-volume dribbler, Williams has found it difficult to convert this elusive ball-carrying into consistent output in the final third, scoring just four La Liga goals this term.
It’s not clear at this point whether he’d actually be an upgrade on either Martinelli or Trossard.
| Williams’ La Liga Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 29 |
| Goals | 5 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.44 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.18 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.83 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.19 |
| Successful Take-ons per 90 | 2.96 |
Yan Diomande
Age: 19
Club: RB Leipzig
Yan Diomande will have his pick of clubs this summer. The Ivorian forward has enjoyed a meteoric rise over the past 18 months, from making his debut in European football for Leganes to starring for his nation at AFCON.
The scintillating teenager has shown a capacity to beat his man consistently at a young age, while he’s also scored ten goals for Leipzig in all competitions this campaign. This combination of raw dribbling talent and end product points to a player who could certainly develop into a superstar.
Arsenal would be taking a bet by beating the competition to sign such a young and unproven player, likely at a slightly inflated fee, but it could just be a bet worth making.
Antonio Nusa
Age: 20
Club: RB Leipzig
Diomande isn’t the only exciting winger prospect on Leipzig’s books at the moment. Antonio Nusa, whose personal hype has been overshadowed by the explosive Diomande, is an equally talented and technically gifted young wide man.
Arsenal have also been linked with the Norwegian, although a somewhat underwhelming 2025/26 campaign appears to have quietened these rumours. Boasting quick feet and an eye for a pass, there are more parallels between Nusa and Trossard than the 20-year-old and Martinelli.
Having said that, he’s yet to develop into a productive player in the final third like Trossard, and this may prevent the Gunners from investing in him for the time being.
Rodrygo
Age: 25
Club: Real Madrid
A man who needs no introduction, Rodrygo is undoubtedly the highest calibre left-winger Arsenal could attract this summer. The Gunners showed an interest in the Brazilian last year, but the player ultimately wasn’t keen on departing Madrid.
| Rodrygo’s La Liga Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 30 |
| Goals | 6 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Shots per 90 | 2.52 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.19 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 2.29 |
| Successful Take-Ons per 90 | 2.29 |
However, after very much settling into a squad rotation role at the Bernabeu this season, he may be more willing to swap the Spanish capital for London in the next six months.
At his best, Rodrygo is an elite wide forward who can score goals, create goals and blend into a cohesive pressing system. He should absolutely be near the top of Arsenal’s list if Arteta can convince him to move to North London.
