#Arsenal have not had the best luck of late, with three defeats in their last four Premier League matches, including Saturday’s demolition by Liverpool.
Manager Arsene Wenger has long been linked leaving the Gunners, but could also be joined out the exit door by star striker #Alexis Sanchez, who has scored 17 goals in the league this season.
Many faces have been touted to replace the Chilean, with obvious candidates including Borussia Dortmund’s Marco Reus and Paulo Dybala from Juventus. Yet, Porto’s #Andre Silva has had an impressive campaign this year, seeing his name dropped into the hat, according to the Daily Star.
Who is Silva?
The 21-year-old has gone from pure anonymity to a £52m target for Arsenal and Italian giants Juventus in the space of seven months, netting 15 times so far this season, compared to just one in the entirety of the previous campaign.
Silva hails from the Gondomar region in Porto and bounced from youth academy to youth academy j in the Portuguese capital in his formative years, beginning at Salgueiros (twice), Boavista and Padroense before joining the Dragons at the age of 15.
He has slowly risen through the ranks, spending three seasons with the B team, along with gaining minutes for the senior side. Silva made his first-team debut in the Taça de Liga against Maritimo in December 2015, before making a further 13 appearances in all competitions that year.
How good is Silva?
Despite playing in a league considered to be less of a challenge than the Premier League and Serie A, 15 goals and four assists is a decent return for a striker in his first full season, especially with two and a half months still to go.
Although Silva stands at over six feet tall, he has a quick turn of pace and can pass players with relative ease, much like Arsenal star Sanchez.
Both share a similar determination and fluidity in positional movement. The Porto striker is also adept in the air, able to hand the physical battle, something that will be required in the English top flight.
The Portuguese international would not be able to replicate the Arsenal star straight away and for the price of £52m, it would be a costly mistake should he not cope in the Premier League, but with should he continue to improve at his current rate, he would be a worthwhile gamble.
Who should Arsenal replace Sanchez with? Have your say below…
