Arsenal have to make do without Olivier Giroud this weekend as he enters game two of his three match ban for his sending off at Fulham.
Although the Frenchman has put in encouraging displays this season and is likely to move up a notch in 2013-14 based on his career history, the central striker role is still an area that Arsene Wenger may choose to invest in.
He also has the option of giving Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski a long-term future in a forward role, but whether they can cut it there at the very highest level is doubtful.
One of the strikers that the Gunners have been linked with is Stevan Jovetic with unconfirmed reports from certain quarters claiming a fee has been agreed. With his price tag of €25 million (or €30 million according to some reports), that would be a record transfer for Arsenal, which places some doubts over the rumour as well as Manchester City’s interest in the player.
But it appears that Wenger does have a keen interest in the Fiorentina striker according to reports, and if a deal were to be completed, Jovetic would certainly be a player that would improve Arsenal.
Versatile
The Montenegrin is one of the finest young players in Europe and is also far more versatile than Giroud.
Normally a second striker that plays behind a target man, the 23-year-old is also capable of leading the line due to his height and movement. In Florence he either plays off Luca Toni or at the point of attack.
While not a traditional target man, he would be more capable of adding fluidity and an extra dimension to the forward line in terms of creating space for goalscoring wingers like Walcott and Podolski as he can also feature on the flanks.
His style would appear to be more suited to Arsenal’s tactics than the aerially powerful Giroud whose best assets are not highlighted effectively by his team-mates.
Jovetic’s movement – as well as his first touch and control - is arguably his biggest plus point which would mean the Gunners would be less static in and around the box.
Although he has just four assists this season, the Viola talisman does make intelligent use of possession. He plays two key passes per game in Serie A – which places him in the Top 10 in Italy and is double Giroud’s tally.
His 12 league goals in 27 games may not seem to be awe-inspiring, but it is an impressive tally in Serie A where defences are more miserly. But he has the advantage of being genuinely two-footed with a capability of scoring a variety of goals.
And the important thing to note is his age. At 23 and under Wenger’s tutelage, Jovetic has more potential to unlock. Here's a taster of what he is capable of...
