Why Arsenal should be keeping an eye on this £16m Italian sensation:

One of the few areas where Arsenal have looked weak this season has been down the wings. Both of their English wingers, Theo Walcott and Alex Oxlaide-Chamberlain picked up long-term injuries early on in the proceedings. As a result, the Gunners have had to make good without them.

That’s meant giving game time to promising, but raw (and possibly naive) youngsters like Serge Gnabry (who surely has a big future ahead of him) and Ryo Miyaichi (who probably doesn’t have a future at the Emirates). Whilst fans aren’t exactly bemoaning the absence of Gervinho (who went to Roma in the summer), I think it’s fair to say that the Ivorian could have done a job this season.

But given the lack of options out wide and the depth of quality in the centre-of-the-park, Arsene Wenger’s solution has been to play players like Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Ozil out on the flanks. Luckily, these are all talented footballers, who would likely excel wherever they were played. But there’s something to be said for playing a natural winger in these positions. Somebody with pace, craft and a willingness to take defenders on.

What’s more, I’m sure the three aforementioned midfielders will want to spend a bit more time in the middle of the park this year. The easy solution, therefore, would be to bring somebody in during the January transfer window.

And who better than Alessio Cerci, the Italian wing-wizard whose reputation has grown and grown over the last 12 months?

Following his move from Fiorentina to Torino in the summer, Cerci has been in excellent goal-scoring form. He’s played 12 Serie A games this year and found the back of the net 8 times. He’s also caught the eye due to his direct attacking nature, strength and quick feet. Whilst he’s not exactly a ‘silky’ character, he does have a pretty impressive bag of tricks and I’m sure he’d make an impact in the Premier League.

The Star suggest that he could be available for £16m when the transfer window re-opens. That’s a lot of money, but Torino are in a position to drive a hard-bargain.

Still, the Gunners have enough cash to make a deal happen, if their interest is genuine. Let’s see if Arsene Wenger is willing to do what it will take to round out this already impressive squad.

What’s your take? Would Alessio Cerci be a decent addition to Arsene Wenger’s talented team?

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