Italian International Reportedly Scouted by Arsenal

COMMENTARY | Arsenal is reportedly keeping tabs on Torino's Alessio Cerci. The winger/forward has impressed in Italy this season, scoring eight goals and adding three assists in 12 total matches. Cerci was once a promising youth player for Italian giants Roma. The young Cerci was even compared to Arsenal legend Thierry Henry in his time in Rome.

The Gunners are in need of attacking reinforcements and have been linked with multiple players ahead of January's transfer period. While most say that the team is in desperate need of a center forward to help ease the workload from Olivier Giroud, Alessio Cerci wouldn't necessarily help in this department. Cerci is a natural winger who has been deployed as a second striker (with much success) this season with Torino.

If Arsenal is to make a bid for Cerci, one would assume that it means that Wenger has faith in using either Lukas Podolski or Theo Walcott at center forward. Another assumption in a Cerci bid would be that the Italian international would be a back-up plan for Wenger, as the French manager has been linked with big names such as Karim Benzema, Robert Lewandowski, Christian Benteke, and Edin Dzeko over the last few weeks.

Nonetheless, both Podolski and Walcott prefer a more central role in the team. Walcott has had some recent success as a striker, as the England international scored 21 total goals last season, including a hat-trick and two assists while playing as the lone striker in a 7-3 win against Newcastle.

The Gunners are not the only team to be interested in Cerci. According to The Express, Manchester United and Juventus are also reportedly keen to sign the 26-year-old in January. Torino has paid a total of about $8.6 million for Cerci and would most likely receive twice that amount for the winger/forward if they were to sell him in January.

Christopher Moore has been following Arsenal Football Club for over 10 years.