Saka's dream: Arsenal setting sights on £94m marvel who's "the best 9 in the world" - opinion

Arsenal might have ended the campaign without a trophy to show for it, but by making it into the quarter-finals of the Champions League and pushing Manchester City to the final day of the Premier League, they showed that they are here to stay for some time.

There were star performers throughout Mikel Arteta's team, but Bukayo Saka was one of the real standouts, as has been the case for years now.

bukayo-saka-2023-2024-stats

The Englishman had his best season to date in terms of goals and assists and did so without a prolific number nine in the team, but based on recent reports, that could be about to change.

Arsenal's striker search

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal have set their sights on Inter Milan star Lautaro Martínez this summer.

Martinez-Inter-Man-United-Ten-Hag-Rashford-Premier-League-transfer

The report claims that the Argentine has caught the attention of several Premier League sides and that if he does not sign a new deal, he'll be available for around €110m, which is £94m, thanks to a termination clause in his current contract.

It would undoubtedly represent a massive investment into the team from Stan Kroenke, but based on Martínez's unreal form over the last few seasons, one worth making, especially as he could help Saka reach another level entirely.

 Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez celebrates scoring their third goal

Why Martínez would be a dream teammate for Saka

Now, there are two reasons why Martínez would be an excellent teammate for Saka, and the first is quite simple: his goals.

Lautaro-Martinez-Chelsea-target-Poch

In 44 appearances last season, the World Cup winner, who renowned football podcaster Angelo Valdes described as "the best 9 in the world," found the back of the net on 27 occasions, meaning he averaged a goal every 1.6 games for Inter.

His impressive tally would make him the top goalscorer at Arsenal, ahead of Saka, Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz, and, in turn, this would help the Englishman boost his already impressive haul of 14 assists.

Martínez vs Arsenals top scorers

Players

Martínez

Saka

Trossard

Havertz

Appearances

44

47

46

51

Minutes

3466'

3865'

2284'

3834'

Goals

27

20

17

14

Goals per Match

0.61

0.42

0.36

0.27

Minutes per Goal

128.37'

193.25'

134.35'

273'

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That brings us to the second reason the 26-year-old would be a brilliant teammate for the Hale End gem: his creativity.

While his primary job at the San Siro is to get on the end of balls supplied by teammates, the former Racing Club prospect provides plenty of chances for others to score as well and has racked up 18 assists in the last two campaigns.

This ability to play creator would make him the perfect striker for the Gunners' poster boy, who in the last few seasons has dramatically increased his goalscoring abilities and now has 58 senior goals to his name in 226 appearances.

Ultimately, signing Martínez would undoubtedly represent a significant investment, but it would likely be worth it based on how well he has played in the last few years. Moreover, his potential link-up play with Saka could be the final ingredient Arsenal need to get over the line and end their two-decade title drought next season.