Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori and Mikel Arteta (Photo by Ryan Pierse/Getty Images, Hayters)
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta would not rule out the surprise option of moving Riccardo Calafiori up front while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are out injured.
Speaking at his press conference earlier today, the Spanish tactician addressed his side’s current striking woes, and seemed surprisingly upbeat despite the team’s long list of injuries this season.
Havertz and Jesus won’t play again this season, while it’s also not that clear if Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli will be available again that soon.
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When it was put to him that Calafiori used to play as a striker in his youth, Arteta joked that William Saliba has also spoken about filling in up front.
Still, when asked about Calafiori in particular it seemed that the Arsenal manager was open to finding “creative” solutions up front during this difficult period.
Mikel Arteta didn’t rule out trying Riccardo Calafiori up front
When asked about Calafiori’s past experience of playing as a striker, Arteta responded: “And Saliba…you didn’t know that, eh?”
He added: “All the options are welcome. You never know what’s going to happen, so you have to be creative.”
Calafiori has scored two goals for Arsenal this season, including a stunning strike from long range in the 2-2 draw away to Manchester City earlier in the campaign.
The Italy international also got forward well and finished instinctively in Arsenal’s recent 1-0 win away to Wolves, so he clearly has that in his locker.
Still, Calafiori has been playing either as a centre-back or a left-back for much of his senior career, so it would probably be a huge adjustment to going back to playing up front, even if he did it in his youth career.
Arsenal still have Leandro Trossard, Ethan Nwaneri and Raheem Sterling as options for their front three.
