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Arsenal Were Never Even in on Jackson Martinez

By Josh Sippie

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In what has to be some of the best news in the transfer world, Arsenal have “missed out” on signing Jackson Martinez, as the Colombian striker’s agent indicated that they would be taking their services to Madrid, of the Atletico variety.

Martinez’s agent, Luiz Henrique Pompeo, said (as reported by Goal.com):

"“It was finalised today. We want to thank Milan for their interest right up the end, we feel very honoured by it, but you can’t be in two places at once. Atleti are a very big club that has done important things in the league and in Europe. Jackson is going there to also achieve great things and to bring the best out of himself. That’s his dream and he’s very excited. He’s really happy.”"

While Olivier Giroud and I first bump each other (from thousands of miles apart), his statements make me wonder if Arsenal were ever really in on the Colombian hit man. While Arsene Wenger has spoken on how talented Jackson Martinez is, the only thing ever tying him to a move to Arsenal was the media playing off of those statements.

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That really is no grounds to base a transfer rumor off of. Martinez’s agent kindly thanks AC Milan for their continued interest but he does not thank anyone else, indicating that either Arsenal dropped out long ago or they were never in it in the first place.

For as strongly as I felt Arsenal did not need to and would not sign Petr Cech (whoops), I felt twice as strongly that Arsenal did not need to and would not sign Jackson Martinez. I guess 50% is not a bad return.

While this move will not be popular with all Arsenal fans, as many of them think we need a new striker, it must be restated that while a new striker would be beneficial to the Gunners cause, a new striker that plays exactly the same game as Olivier Giroud has very little benefit.

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Arsenal would be committing their entire attacking fortunes to a singular style of attack, the aerial, heading, hold-up style. While that is a perfectly good style, opponents can start to key in on it and before long Arsenal have no options.

By letting Theo Walcott be a secondary striker, Arsenal will open up an entirely different and almost completely opposite attack centered on pacey runs and getting in behind the defense.

If Arsenal are to make a move for a striker, the only logical types of signings would be guys who either play a similar style to Giroud and are not nearing 30, so that they can inherit the striking role (Arkadiusz Milik) or guys that offer a completely different set of skills, even complimentary skills, to Arsenal’s current crop (Karim Benzema).

Looks to me like we have two options.

Next: Did Arsenal miss out on Kondogbia?

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