Arsenal make contact with Giovinco, but could he replace Walcott?

Arsene Wenger may be set to offset the loss of Theo Walcott by signing Juventus attacker Sebastian Giovinco, after it was revealed that the Gunners had made contact with the player’s agent.

The diminutive playmaker has spent his entire career at the ‘Old Lady’, bar a couple of loan moves, having come through the youth ranks in Turin.

Able to play across the forward line, he is known for his dribbling skills and delicate link-up play. With an electric turn of pace and great balance, Giovinco also has an eye for the spectacular.

Still only 26-years-old, the Italian has been primarily used as an impact sub this season, and could benefit from a move away to enhance his credentials in light of the impending World Cup this summer.

Noted Italian football journalist Gianluca Di Marzio has claimed that contact has been made between the two parties, and the consensus is that Arsenal are desperate to find a replacement for the injured Walcott.

Wenger admitted this week that he may have to dip into the January window after losing his England winger,

“[Walcott's injury] has accelerated speculation first and of course my desire as well,” Wenger told the club’s official website.

“Up front we lose Theo as a potential central forward and that’s maybe where we have to look outside, but we hopefully have [Nicklas] Bendtner back in three weeks. We are there for the opportunities but it’s very difficult at the moment.”

Theo Walcott is one of the fastest, most direct wingers around, and he will be hard to replace. But Arsenal have not primarily relied upon out-and-out wingers this season, with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Aaron Ramsey the key operators in Arsene Wenger’s table-topping side.

Giovinco is able to play out wide, but could be utilised alongside Santi Cazorla or Mesut Ozil just behind the striker in a formation Arsenal have used to great effect this season.

The Italian, nicknamed ‘Atom Ant’ due to his size and agility, has not been the most consistent of late, but Wenger may relish the prospect of working with a player so attuned to the style of football being played at the club.

The Metro have claimed a short term loan deal for Giovinco is in the pipeline, and with the player currently stuck on the bench at Juve, and Arsenal’s need for a vibrant attacker to fill a troubling void, this could be an excellent deal for the Gunners if it materialises.

What do you think? Would Giovinco be a good signing? Let us know in the comments below…

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Cruel Walcott blow won't ruin Arsenal's title chances

A season rich in promise threatening to unravel as a consequence of a ruptured ligament or shattered ankle is a scenario Arsenal and Arsene Wenger are all too grimly familiar with.

While the ramifications of Theo Walcott’s injury might well be devastating on a personal level, the England winger’s cruel setback need not be a terminal blow to his side’s aspirations of ending this campaign with the silverware their football, to this point in the season at least, merits.

Undoubtedly, Walcott’s absence represents a major and unforeseen inconvenience. His ability to stretch defences, intimidate centre-halves with his pace alone, allied to a growing maturity and potency in front of goal, represent qualities far from abundant in Wenger’s current squad.

Before the obituaries are written, however, it is worth noting that Arsenal’s rise to the Premier League summit has been decorated rather than orchestrated by Walcott.

Recent impressive performances, capped by five goals in his last six matches, merely hinted at the possibility of this being a defining season for one of England’s most divisive talents - had a partnership with Mesut Ozil, Arsenal’s assist king, been allowed to flourish it may well have been just that.

The pair have played little over five full games together, however, and have combined only once to goalscoring effect – Walcott’s headed knockdown providing and unlikely assist for the German in last month’s 1-1 draw against Everton. Arsenal simply cannot miss something they’ve never really had.

Though the circumstances and cause of their injuries could not have been more different, it is impossible not to think back to that wretched afternoon at St Andrews six years ago, the injury that effectively ended Eduardo’s Premier League career, and wonder if this Arsenal side possesses the mental fortitude to cope with a not altogether dissimilar setback.

Walcott’s first Premier League goals that day were all but forgotten amid a tidal wave of controversy, a last-minute equaliser and William Gallas’ infamous sit-in protest. Arsenal subsequently allowed themselves to wallow in self-pity, drew five straight games and blew a seven-point lead.

Of that squad, Walcott aside, only Bacary Sagna as well as Nicklas Bendtner and Mathieu Flamini, both of whom have returned to the club following spells abroad, remain.

This is a different, resilient Arsenal. An Arsenal that has coped with injuries to every member of their first-choice outfield XI this season, suffered morale sapping defeats at the homes of both Manchester clubs, coped with a punishing schedule and one that collected more points than any other side in 2013.

This is not an Arsenal that should need to seek comfort in a sunnier precedent but should they wish to the 2002 run-in should provide solace. Though it occurred at a far later stage in the season many still doubted Arsenal’s ability to last the pace when Robert Pires lay stricken on the Highbury turf with a knee injury that was to rule him out of that summer’s World Cup.

In the Frenchman’s place new heroes emerged. Freddie Ljungberg embarked on a goalscoring run that seemed as if it would never end, while Sylvain Wiltord and Ray Parlour struck decisive goals in an FA Cup final and Premier League decider.

In Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Serge Gnabry, Wenger possesses raw gems, unscathed and unscarred by previous Arsenal collapses who are capable of filling a Walcott-shaped void. Lukas Podolski and Santi Cazorla must accept greater responsibility, while Ozil must begin to justify the demi-god status he has already been elevated too.

Moreover, Wenger must accept that while the January transfer window is an inconvenient time to buy, it is not impossible. Jose Antonio Reyes and Andrey Arshavin were both club record purchases who arrived in previous January transfer widows and although both proved to be far from shrewd long-term investments, both made significant early impacts.

Wenger appeared to rediscover his sense of ambition and adventure in the summer with the purchase of Ozil and a similar roll of the dice this month can ensure that Walcott’s injury does not prove to be the defining moment of Arsenal’s season.

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Walcott : Arsenal growing confident of title win

Theo Walcott says Arsenal have more belief each week that they will end their trophy drought and win the Premier League title this season.

The Gunners lead the top flight at its halfway point having accrued nine more points than at this stage last term, when they finished fourth.

And Walcott admits that with every win Arsene Wenger’s side are more certain that they will be top of the pile on May 11.

"Every game that goes by that we win is more belief that we're going to win the league," the 24-year-old told the club's official website.

"But we won't get ahead of ourselves, we know how crucial every game is. We've got to make sure we look after ourselves and hopefully teams will start to slip up.

"Just as long as we keep on believing, which everyone is and we've been doing from the start of the season.

"Hopefully everyone can stay fit, which is important to have a nice run to the end of the season."

Arsenal are undefeated over the festive period, having beaten West Ham on Boxing Day before Olivier Giroud’s strike overcame Newcastle on Sunday - victories Walcott classes as vital.

"I think you could see from the [final] 10 games last year that it was coming and that we had it in ourselves," the winger said.

"Everyone has been absolutely solid throughout the whole year and it was nice to see Laurent [Koscielny] back today as well.

"It's been two tough away matches in this period, I think a lot of people doubted that we were going to get results.

"It just shows that we've got great character in that dressing room and we're getting stronger and stronger every week. Everyone trusts each other, which is so important. Going into the New Year, we're very excited."

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Walcott : Arsenal is going for the tittle

Theo Walcott has backed Arsenal to challenge for major honours this season after securing their passage to the Champions League group stage.

And Walcott has now set his sights higher and called on his team-mates to challenge for the title and not settle for fourth spot.

"We don't want to be just aiming for that fourth spot anymore. We want to challenge for the Premier League and that's our main goal for this season.

"We know Arsenal's a massive club and where we need to be. What we need to do is get to the next level and compete a little bit more -- not just getting into the Champions League. The next step is to compete."

Walcott is one of the best player of Arsenal , with his fantastic speed, cross and finish.

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