Transfer Centre

How Arsenal could line up with Lorenzo Insigne

By Ben Knapton, Senior Reporter | 01 October 2021

Sports Mole takes an in-depth look at how Arsenal could line up with Lorenzo Insigne amid reports that the Gunners are keen on the Napoli attacker.

Arsenal are rumoured to be in pole position to sign Napoli attacker Lorenzo Insigne.

The Euro 2020 winner has plied his trade in the blue of Naples for his whole career, but his deal with the Serie A outfit is due to expire in 2022 with no sign of an extension.

Tottenham Hotspur have been credited with an interest in Insigne amid his uncertain contract situation, but a recent report claimed that Arsenal are now at the head of the queue for the striker as they plan for potential exits.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how the Gunners could line up with the tricky Italian in the side.

ARS XI w/INSIGNE

Equally capable of cutting inside from the left as he is in a central role, Insigne would likely be deployed at the tip of the attack for the Gunners, who are expected to wave goodbye to Alexandre Lacazette at the end of this season.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's future in North London is not exactly certain either, which should see Insigne lead the line, especially with Emile Smith Rowe making himself undroppable on the left-hand side.

Insigne's arrival would also drop Nicolas Pepe further down the pecking order, with the Italian capable of filling in out wide should Smith Rowe be absent for whatever reason, while Bukayo Saka's spot on the right is not up for debate.

Mikel Arteta reportedly wants to transform Arsenal into a 4-3-3 going forward, with Thomas Partey at the base of the midfield and Martin Odegaard providing the creative flair alongside Insigne.

Granit Xhaka remains a stalwart of Arteta's and is a nailed-on starter when fit over Albert Sambi Lokonga, with Ainsley Maitland-Niles's future at the club looking rather bleak.

Takehiro Tomiyasu, Ben White, Gabriel Magalhaes and Kieran Tierney have formed a resilient rearguard in front of new number one Aaron Ramsdale, whose emergence could supposedly lead Bernd Leno to leave for Italy as Insigne heads in the opposite direction.