Arsenal have been crying out for offensive reinforcements after they were left with only one recognized striker in Olivier Giroud after Theo Walcott and Niklas Bendtner’s injury. With the title race heating up, manager Arsene Wenger will look add depth to the squad lest they falter in what is likely to be the closest title race in years. Arsenal have been linked with Benfica starlet Rodrigo, who could be just the sort of signing that would tick all the boxes.
1. Ability to find the back of the net
The majority of Arsenal’s goals have come from midfield, with strikers Giroud, Podolski and Bendtner scoring 9, 3, and 2 respectively out of the 43 goals that they have scored this season. As a result, Arsenal, despite all their fancy interplay and slick passing moves, have had to grind out results the hard way. They lack a player who can find the back of the net on a consistent basis.
Rodrigo’s record suggests that he can be that man for Arsenal. The Spaniard has an outstanding record at youth levels, and has scored 22 goals in 28 appearances for Spain at U19, U20 and U21 levels. For Benfica, he has scored 35 goals in 92 appearances, 38 of which have come as a substitute. He has been particularly prolific in the cups, scoring 11 goals in 18 appearances, which suggests that he knows how to put the ball in the net.
(Stats via Transfrmarkt)