What was shaping up to be an excellent season for Arsenal this year has taken a sudden nosedive in recent weeks as the north Londoners have fallen from first to fourth in the Premier League while also crashing out of the FA Cup.
The main culprits for the Gunners' recent collapse in form are the frontline, as despite taking 63 shots since Christmas Day, they have scored just a single goal between them.
That said, there is a problem beginning to brew in the full-back areas for Mikel Arteta, as Jurrien Timber remains out injured, Oleksandr Zinchenko could be out for a short while, Takehiro Tomiyasu is at the Asian Cup, and Ben White looks way off the pace – notably enduring a 'tough afternoon' against Fulham last month, as per GOAL's Charles Watts.
It does appear as if the club might be trying to address this problem, though, with reports linking them to £34m rated right-back Jeremie Frimpong in the summer, but the latest name touted for a move to the Emirates could arrive a lot sooner, and for a lot less money: AS Roma's Leonardo Spinazzola.
Arsenal transfer news – Leonardo Spinazzola
According to reports from Italy, Arsenal are one of two Premier League teams interested in Roma's vastly experienced full-back Spinazzola this winter.
The other side said to be interested are title rivals Aston Villa, although with the injuries to Timber and Zinchenko, the Gunners' need for a new left-back certainly feels more acute.
The interested parties will have a serious advantage in any negotiations with Roma, as the 30-year-old's contract is set to expire in the summer, and so if they want to recoup any money at all, they will need to sell him this month.
No specific fee has been reliably reported as of yet, but the CIES Football Observatory values Spinazzola at around €5m, which comes out to only £4m – a bargain for a player of his quality and experience.
Leonardo Spinazzola could be a brilliant alternative to Jeremie Frimpong
Now, the initial problem with this idea is that, yes, the Bayer Leverkusen star is very much a right-back, whereas the Italian international is primarily a left-sided player who has in the past been deployed on the right of a defence occasionally.
However, there are a few reasons why it might be wiser for the Gunners to sign the "outrageously good" veteran, as described by journalist Matteo Bonetti, over the more exciting youngster.
The first and most obvious benefit is that he would cost significantly less money, potentially £30m less, if the reports about Frimpong's release clause are accurate. Plus, the £92k-a-week that Spinazzola earns in Rome wouldn't be a problem for the Gunners
Second, while Arteta would likely have to wait until the summer to get his hands on the young Dutchman due to Leverkusen's impressive title challenge, Spinazzola's contract situation probably means he could join the team immediately.
Moreover, while signing the former Celtic prospect might be a great way to get White back to his best, it would not solve the more urgent problems at left-back, problems caused by a string of injuries, international football and the decision not to recall Kieran Tierney from Real Sociedad.
Player
Position
Status
Ben White
RB/CB
Fit
Takehiro Tomiyasu
RB/CB/LB
At the Asian Cup
Cedric Soares
RB
Fit (Peripheral Player)
Jurrien Timber
CB/RB/LB
Injured
Jakub Kiwior
CB/LB
Fit
Oleksandr Zinchenko
LB
Injured
Kieran Tierney
LB
On Loan
If Zinchenko is not back to full fitness in time for Arsenal's game against Crystal Palace on January 20th, Arteta will have to start Jakub Kiwior in his place, and while the Polish international is a promising centre-back, he has not looked convincing at left-back – notably receiving a 5/10 match rating from the Standard for his play against Liverpool.
However, if the club signs Spinazzola before the match, then the Ukrainian international can rest until he is fully fit, safe in the knowledge that a recognised and well-respected left-back is holding down the fort on that left-hand side.
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A further benefit of snapping up the Italian is that he does actually share a statistical likeness to Frimpong, as per FBref, with the pair both notably ranking in the top 1% for progressive carries per 90 among their European peers, indicating that quality in possession.
Ultimately, Frimpong would be a fantastically exciting addition to the team, but signing Spinazzola would be a far better use of the club's resources at the moment.