Arsenal: Anthony Martial the benchmark if he can’t be the answer

Arsenal are supposedly cooling their interest in Anthony Martial, but if that is the case, then he at least needs to be the benchmark for a solution.

Sometimes there are players that seem like they would solve everything at Arsenal, but their availability is the problem. Anthony Martial now fits into that mold. After reportedly trying to land his services in exchange for Alexis, the Gunners had to “settle” on Henrikh Mkhitaryan, who has undoubtedly been a superb addition.

But the allure of Martial has not ceased, nor should it ever. He has only started 16 Premier League matches under Jose Mourinho, who has a penchant for ruining or misusing creative young players such as Martial.

However, it has since been reported that the Gunners are cooling their interest in Martial, as acquiring him is starting to look less and less realistic.

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It’s a shame. The 22-year-old Frenchman is exactly what the Gunners need in the attack. He’s a winger, with the ability to play striker, but he has been content on the wings in the past. His speed makes him a constant threat and he has no problems hugging the touchline and utilizing wide angles to make things happen.

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That is the ideal player for the Gunners. The fact that he is already blooded in the Premier League, only 22-years-old, and boasts parallels to Thierry Henry (then again, who doesn’t?) only strengthens his case.

But if he isn’t available, he isn’t available. His contract runs up next year, so if he’s really that upset at Old Trafford, he can just wait it out.

That said, Martial should be the gold standard of what this club is looking for in the attack. They need someone of his caliber, of his potential and of his skill set. If that cannot be attained, then the goal should be to get someone as close to him as possible.

That limits the competition. Leon Bailey still stands as a solution, as he boasts the speed and work rate of Martial, albeit without the proven track record.

But guys like Malcom or Thomas Lemar are becoming question marks because of what they would bring to the team. While I would not be opposed to the signing of either one, they aren’t the speedy, quick, touchline winger-type that Martial is.

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As such, the search must go on. But at the very least, we can lay down Martial and point to him as the ideal candidate. Anyone in Martial’s circle of skill needs to be considered.