Arsenal want to sign him, now he’s close to snatching a Premier League record from Gabriel Martinelli

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Arsenal’s front line has been tested beyond belief this season as Mikel Arteta continues to combat injury woes.

Those left standing in the Arsenal squad have a considerable task to overcome in the absence of a handful of key players. 

Ethan Nwaneri, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling are Arteta’s only fit senior forwards at present but, players are set to return in the coming weeks to bolster the front line. 

Gabriel Martinelli could be one of the first to return after being ruled out for a month with a hamstring injury and, the winger has a point to prove. 

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Matheus Cunha closing in on Gabriel Martinelli’s scoring record

Martinelli has had a difficult few years on the form front, with the Brazilian at risk of seeing his 2022/23 goal contribution tally being labelled as a fluke.

In that campaign, the left-winger contributed to 20 Premier League goals to see Arsenal rise as contenders for the title but since then, nothing close to such numbers has been seen. 

Going from a player with 15 goals in a Premier League campaign to one who could be considered as unreliable in the final third has been tough, with Martinelli receiving criticism for his lack of conviction. 

The 23-year-old will want to return from injury with a bang, even more so as one player is closing in on his Premier League record. 

Martinelli’s tally of 15 league goals in 2022/23 saw him join Roberto Firmino, who has been linked to Arsenal, at the top of the pile when it comes to Brazilian players in the English top flight. 

The highest-scoring season of a Brazilian player in the Premier League is 15 goals but, such record looks set to be smashed by Wolves forward Matheus Cunha this term. 

Cunha, whom Arsenal made contact with in January, has 12 goals for Wolves and with 13 games to go, it looks likely that the Old Gold’s sharp-shooter will surpass Firmino and Martinelli’s record. 

Arsenal could sign Cunha in the summer transfer window 

Martinelli won’t want to hold a grudge over Cunha if the 25-year-old is to break the Arsenal winger’s record as there’s a chance that the duo could be teammates in the near future. 

Arsenal will be wary of Cunha’s release clause at Wolves, which sits at £62.5m, a bargain fee for a player who is going above and beyond in an attempt to keep his club in the Premier League. 

It looks as though the Brazilian will leave Molineux in the summer and, Arsenal appear to be on Cunha’s radar, with the player’s agent wanting to exploit the January market amid Arteta’s interest. 

Who knows if the 25-year-old is Emirates bound but, if he is and if he does break the Brazilian goalscoring record, Martinelli might expect an apology.