Arsenal are eyeing moves for Manchester United's Anthony Martial and Lyon's Alexandre Lacazette... but how do the two forwards compare?

• e-mail

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has a history of getting the best out of promising French strikers.

And as the uncertainty surrounding Alexis Sanchez's future rumbles on, the Gunners are in the market for a number of exciting forwards from across the Channel. 

As well as Monaco starlet Kylian Mbappe, Arsenal are interested in signing Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette and his compatriot Anthony Martial of Manchester United. But how do the two targets compare? Here Sportsmail runs the rule over the two strikers who could lead the line for the Gunners next season.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is looking to add to his striking options this transfer window

The Gunners are keen on Manchester United's Anthony Martial (L) and Alexandre Lacazette

Both Martial and Lacazette are full France internationals and have experience competing at the highest level of club football. 

But they are at different stages of their careers, with the 21-year-old Martial five years younger than his compatriot.

Given the increasing pressure on Arsene Wenger to end his side's wait for a league title and improve their poor recent record in the Champions League, however, that could be both a blessing and a curse.

The Manchester United forward has shown, albeit in fits and starts, why United paid £36million to prize him away from Monaco back in 2015. Almost two years on, however, he remains far from the finished article. Lacazette, meanwhile, would offer Arsenal a ready-made product.

At 26, the France international has shown he can mix it with Europe's elite and has attracted interest from the likes of Atletico Madrid. He scored 37 goals in 45 appearances for Lyon last season, including an impressive 28 goals in 30 Ligue 1 matches. 

Martial, in contrast, netted only eight times in 42 appearances during Jose Mourinho's first season in charge.

Those figures are, of course, skewed by Martial's positional flexibility. Since moving to United he has been given only limited opportunity to play through the middle, spending the majority of his time out wide.

The 21-year-old France international has played most of his football at Old Trafford outwide

Lacazette, meanwhile, has been prolific as Lyon's No 9, netting 28 Ligue 1 goals last season 

Like his age, however, that could be both a pro and a con for Arsenal. The 21-year-old has proven he can turn provider, picking up six assists to Lacazette's three last season.

But given the Gunners already boast the likes of Sanchez, Danny Welbeck and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain — all of whom have shown their capability to play in multiple positions — only Lacazette would offer them the kind of free-scoring specialist No 9 they have lacked since the departure of Robin van Persie. 

Last season, he proved his sharp eye for goal by scoring with almost 40per cent of his shots. Martial, meanwhile, scored with barely more than one in 10 of his attempts.

That could help explain why the 21-year-old fell down the pecking order under Mourinho. Martial started less than half of United's league games and could now be on his way out of Old Trafford only two years after they made him football's most expensive ever teenager.

Martial slipped down the pecking order last year, starting only 18 of United's league games

Manchester City forward Kevin De Bruyne (R) excelled after leaving Jose Mourinho's Chelsea

As the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and recent Liverpool signing Mo Salah have shown, however, it is not uncommon for exciting young players to thrive once they are sold by the Portuguese and given more licence elsewhere.

Martial has proven himself capable with coping with the unique demands of the Premier League. But at £40million, he would still represent an expensive gamble for Wenger.

Arsenal fans know only too well, however, that if their manager boss can again coax the best out of a young French forward, it could prove more than worthwhile in the long run. 

Lacazette, too, would be a signing fraught with risk. Despite his impressive scoring record the Frenchman has never played outside of his homeland and, with an asking price of £56million, would arrive with high expectations to shoulder.  

The choice is yours, Arsene.