The month of January has started and as usual, Arsenal are slowly finding a dip in their form, a shakiness in their confidence and the number of their injuries increasing. After playing more or less on a regular basis, Theo Walcott is again injured with Arsene Wenger stating that the England striker would be out for a week or two. With Lucas Perez showing immense fragility at times, the only options left with Wenger is Alexis Sanchez and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
Although Danny Welbeck is back, he hasn’t played much in the last eight months and Wenger would have to give him more than a month to get back his touch. The brilliant form of Sanchez has kept Arsenal’s hope up at the moment and Wenger is quite wary of the fact that he cannot challenge for the title with an inconsistent Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain on the wings.
While Chamberlain is really good at times, he is also miserable on many occasions, and Wenger will have to find someone on the flanks who would be sharp and tireless, matching the instinct of Sanchez on the other flank. And reports say Arsenal might just have found an option in Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Ferreira Carrasco.
Wenger is apparently an admirer of the 23-year-old, who has been phenomenal from the wings this season for the Spanish side netting 10 goals and providing 2 assists in 24 games. The Belgian international has more or less owned his place in the first eleven since joining from Monaco last year. He has completed 314 passes this season with a pass accuracy of 83%, of which 56% were forward passes.
The player has a massive £85m release clause and given that the Rojo Blancos are aiming to bring in some top-class players, they could be willing to use Carrasco’s big move to pump into those transfers.
Carrasco is very, very similar to Chamberlain on his play on the right flank. Except for the pace, which he lacks as compared to the English forward, Carrasco is an all-around attacker, who is adept in dribbling, providing key passes from the wings, can take exceptional free-kicks and has scored some stunning long-range shots in his career.
A vibrant figure like that up top would be a huge addition for Wenger, who is facing Bayern Munich next month in the Champions League knockout stages and have a series of difficult fixtures to win in the Premier League before they challenge for the title.
