Top 4 Arsenal targets in the January transfer window

The risk

Arsenal’s potential striker signings analysis

At 27 years of age, Hertha Berlin’s Adrián Ramos has been something of a late developer. He was key aged 21 for América de Cali in reaching the final of the 2008 Copa Mustang, and after earning a call-up to the Colombia team he won a move to the Bundesliga with Hertha Berlin.

However, 10 goals in 29 appearances in his debut season was far from enough to prevent them from finishing bottom of the league, and he hardly scored spectacularly in the 2. Bundesliga, netting 15 times in 33 appearances as Hertha won promotion.

6 goals and 3 assists in 31 appearances in 2011/12 earned him a mediocre WhoScored rating of 6.78 and could not stop the side again dropping down to the second tier.That he netted 11 times in 32 appearances in that league last season barely gave the slightest of hints that he would find form in the top flight this term.

That he has done, though, and he currently leads the goalscoring charts with 11 goals in 17 games (21.6% conversion). He is also the third-highest rated player in the Bundesliga (8.07), combining ability in the air with competence on the ground, winning a Bundesliga-high 6.5 aerial duels per game (at a success rate of 40.5%) and completing 3 dribbles per game (15th most in the Bundesliga).

What is more, he works hard off the ball, and outside of the big two teams in Germany (Bayern and Dortmund are both known for their pressing games), only Werder Bremen’s Aaron Hunt (15) has won possession in the attacking third of the pitch more times than Ramos (11).

Adept on the ball, a hard worker off it and clinical in front of goal, Ramos could well prove to be the forward that Arsenal need, but with his stock – and thus price – vastly inflated given all the media hype around him, but with only half a season of real quality form, he is certainly one of the more risky options linked to the Gunners.

The relative unknown

Porto are widely known for selling on fantastically talented players for big money. The likes of Hulk, Falcao and Ricardo Carvalho have proven incredible exports from the Portuguese club, but in Ricardo Quaresma, Hélder Postiga and Raul Meireles, there have also been those that have largely failed upon leaving the club.

Jackson Martínez is next to be linked with a move away from the Estádio do Dragão, but there is little knowing whether he can transfer his form to the Premier League.

Having netted 38 goals in 45 league appearances for Porto, he is certainly capable in front of goal, but what else does he add? In his 14 Champions League appearances to date, he has laid on an average of 1.2 chances per game, and is yet to pick up a single assist, despite scoring 5 goals himself.

He does, however, take plenty of shots, scoring 2 goals this season from 26 attempts (7.7% conversion) and needs to improve in that regard if he is to make it to the top. Though only a very small sample, it is noteworthy that Martínez provides fairly little in terms of creation, and having won possession back in the attacking third only twice in 6 European appearances this term, it might be the case that he doesn’t quite offer enough of an overall package to be a success at Arsenal.