Arsenal go into striker-buying overdrive as Welbeck finds form

Until he became only the third Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League, Danny Welbeck’s move to north London had yet to really ignite.

Flashes of promise were often interspersed with moments of mediocrity as the former Manchester United winger adjusted to becoming the Gunners’ number-one front man.

His treble against Galatasaray would have done plenty to settle his nerves at the situation though, with each finish bettering the previous effort in a comfortable 4-1 win at the Emirates.

With Chelsea the next opponents for Arsene Wenger’s side, Welbeck will be vital to the team’s chances of picking up a rare victory against their blue-wearing London rivals, with the Longsight lad 8/1 to bag the game’s first goal.

If his recent goalscoring exploits boosted Welbeck’s mood, a quick scan of the morning’s gossip pages is sure to evaporate any confidence quite quickly.

Having remained stubborn on the pursuit of another striker to lighten Olivier Giroud’s load for the best part of three transfer windows, Wenger now seems set to bring an unprecedented TWO more goal-getters to the Gunners in the winter.

Marseille’s red-hot Frenchman, Andre Pierre Gignac, and Juventus hit man Sebastian Giovinco are being linked with Arsenal switches which, if completed, would finally give the French manager a striking army comparable to his adversaries.

Gignac, the 28-year-old former Toulouse player, has started the season in succinct fashion, scoring in each of his nine appearances for Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Juventus man Giovinco, however, is not in quite as much favour having made just three outings thus far this season.

A player that seems to fit the Wenger mould perfectly, the Turin native can play in a number of positions from support striker to winger and attacking midfielder.

Unlike Gignac, the 27-year-old is in anything but scoring form with just two scores to his name from his last 31 appearances for the Old Lady.

All Odds and Markets are correct as of the date of publishing.

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