Quincy Abeyie wrote:

I can feel a new Locatelli-esque development here.

Agreed. No chance of this happening.

Martinez is not that great a player at the moment. The only reason why he would be a neat transfer is because he is so young and - for someone his age - he is doing quite well.

If he stayed on the level he is currently at he wouldn't be an improvement over Laca, but if he kicks it up a notch he might turn out to be really good.

speedy wrote:

banduan wrote:

would be a good almost like-for-like replacement of Laca.

Slightly worse goals per minute currently than laca. He doesn't look like he has the hold up or combination play of laca. He's shorter than laca and less solid. Looks like he benifits from having Lukaku to play off. 

What's the hype about? I haven't seen much of him. 

he's a player who thrives off hard work, pressing and always showing up for the ball rather than pure skills. He'd fit the same role Laca takes up for the club. 

I'm not sure he's that less solid, he's a player who fights for scraps.

banduan wrote:

speedy wrote:

Slightly worse goals per minute currently than laca. He doesn't look like he has the hold up or combination play of laca. He's shorter than laca and less solid. Looks like he benifits from having Lukaku to play off. 

What's the hype about? I haven't seen much of him. 

he's a player who thrives off hard work, pressing and always showing up for the ball rather than pure skills. He'd fit the same role Laca takes up for the club. 

I'm not sure he's that less solid, he's a player who fights for scraps.

Didn't he have the most ball recoveries in the final 3rd last season - either in Serie A or across the UEFA top5 leagues?

yeah I'm not sure we should pay 70 mil for him, that's crazy money reserved only for certainties. But I do like the idea of having him in the team if Laca is going.

I’m surprised by the ambivalence on here, you wouldn’t think we’d finished 8th twice and have no European football

If we can get him we absolutely should. Anyone at £70m is a gamble because the sure things generally won’t be coming here and will probably cost a hell of a lot more. We need to sign the best players we possibly can this summer to act as a catalyst, next year we can go back to being sensible.

goon wrote:

I’m surprised by the ambivalence on here, you wouldn’t think we’d finished 8th twice and have no European football

If we can get him we absolutely should. Anyone at £70m is a gamble because the sure things generally won’t be coming here and will probably cost a hell of a lot more. We need to sign the best players we possibly can this summer to act as a catalyst, next year we can go back to being sensible.

can't say I disagree but I'd prefer gambling on surer bets.

Lautaro will frustrate you the same way Laca does. I don't know who else is available and am not familiar enough with Isak, but if the reputation fits the man then that should be the kind of player we gamble 70 mil on.

Gazza M wrote:

goon wrote:

I’m surprised by the ambivalence on here, you wouldn’t think we’d finished 8th twice and have no European football

If we can get him we absolutely should. Anyone at £70m is a gamble because the sure things generally won’t be coming here and will probably cost a hell of a lot more. We need to sign the best players we possibly can this summer to act as a catalyst, next year we can go back to being sensible.

when you spend that kind of money you need to have a plan. a forward like lautaro likely wouldn't thrive as a centre forward in a 433/4231, which seems to be the formation arteta is going for. laca isn't even good in that role, he's just been shoe horned into it, so plugging another undersized, underpowered player in that role doesn't seem wise

I think if Laca was as good in front of goal as Lautaro and didn’t air kick every chance that comes his way his performances would be viewed fairly positively. And that’s ignoring the fact that Laca is past his peak while this chap is just entering his.

A quality forward is probably the hardest to buy, if we have the chance to sign one you got for it IMO, it’s a risk worth taking. The bigger risk is missing out on the next Suarez.

I've always thought of Martinez as Suarez's successor at Barcelona - the man they should have signed instead of the past it Aguero, if they weren't broke that is.

I like his hustle, I like his intelligence, I like his finishing ability - I see him as a bit of a mix of Suarez and, coincidentally, Aguero (or maybe Tevez, if I was comparing him to just one player) - and I'm sure in front of Messi and a dominant, technical midfield, he'd do bad things to La Liga defences. I'm just not sure Xhaka, the rest of this Arsenal team and the brutes of Premier League would see him flourish here.

I have the same concerns Ricky. I doubt he's right for this team at this point in time, but it's not because the talent isn't there. It's insulting to compare him to a hobo like Lacazette.

Ricky1985 wrote:

I've always thought of Martinez as Suarez's successor at Barcelona - the man they should have signed instead of the past it Aguero, if they weren't broke that is.

I like his hustle, I like his intelligence, I like his finishing ability - I see him as a bit of a mix of Suarez and, coincidentally, Aguero (or maybe Tevez, if I was comparing him to just one player) - and I'm sure in front of Messi and a dominant, technical midfield, he'd do bad things to La Liga defences. I'm just not sure Xhaka, the rest of this Arsenal team and the brutes of Premier League would see him flourish here.

You say that, but the three guys you compared him too all flourished here. Players who play with that sort of energy and intensity usually do well. Xhaka handicaps pretty much every forward, can't cite him as a reason not to sign someone.

I'm personally not in the mind that we need a centre forward this summer, but I've always maintained if you can get one who could be world class you have to go for it given the shortage in that position and what a specialist role it is these days. I don't want to be sitting here in two years watching Lautaro scoring 30 in a season for someone while we debate whether or not we should look for an upgrade on 15 goal Tammy because 'who's out there that's better?'

That's actually a sensible take. Who hacked oftys account?

not gonna argue too much. I like the player and if it's 70 mil it is what it is.

He looks a bit slow? Wary of players who lack pace / height in the PL.

Ray wrote:

He looks a bit slow? Wary of players who lack pace / height in the PL.

he's not slow at all. Decent pace, certainly faster than Laca anyway.

Lautaro played a big role in the Copa win. He's more than able to do well in the prem. A good player. Not 70 mil good but good.