Arsenal have identified a key player who could help to unlock Gabriel Martinelli in 2025/26, aftr the Brazilian has struggled for form in recent times.
Currently out with a hamstring injury, Martinelli suffered a drop-off in performance levels from the lofty heights he managed to reach in the 2022/23 season, where he scored 15 Premier League goals.
Inconsistency has affected his game, with Trossard and Sterling both playing on the left-wing for Arsenal at times this term as a result.
Arsenal want new signing to help unlock Gabriel Martinelli
FourFourTwo believe part of that reason is down to the lack of an attack-minded left-back who is able to provide another avenue of attack for Martinelli to profit from.
Riccardo Calafiori and Myles Lewis-Skelly don't offer quite the same attacking impetus that Oleksandr Zinchenko once did two seasons ago - and now it seems Mikel Arteta is looking to change that with another new left-back signing.
According to Tuttosport, via Pianeta Milan, Arsenal are interested in signing Belgian left-back Maxim De Cuyper from Club Brugge in the summer transfer window, with Kieran Tierney and Zinchenko both set for the Emirates exit door.
The report adds that the Gunners face competition from AC Milan for De Cuyper, though, with Club Brugge wanting around €25m for the 24-year-old. He is valued at €12m by Transfermarkt, with his contract expiring in 2028.
An attacking left-back with good technical and physical attributes, De Cuyper is also strong defensively and is seen as good value in the market by both Arsenal and Milan. His overlapping runs could help unlock Martinelli, who has struggled when isolated against defenders this term.
Impressive performances for Club Brugge in the Champions League this season have alerted clubs to De Cuyper's presence, with the Belgian side set to face Aston Villa in the last 16 - a team they beat during the group stages.
In FourFourTwo's view, Arsenal should perhaps focus on other areas of the squad before signing another left-back, where they are arguably best-stocked right now. Forwards are a pressing issue, while they could also do with adding some extra creative quality in the midfield.
The Gunners are back in Premier League action on Wednesday night when they play Nottingham Forest.
