Arsenal’s hopes of landing a world-class striker this summer could be scuppered by a key issue following the savage verdict of a former Premier League star. Mikel Arteta is in the midst of a forward crisis at the club, with Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus, and Gabriel Martinelli all currently sidelined with injuries.
But it’s not just the treatment table where questions have been asked of Arteta’s squad, but also their perceived lack of clinical ability.
Despite the problems, the Gunners resisted the temptation to spend big in January, and have now been linked with some big names this summer.
Speculation is mounting over an audacious move for ex-Tottenham star Harry Kane after it emerged he has a £67million release clause in his contract at Bayern Munich. The England captain has been a revelation in Germany, scoring 57 goals in just 51 Bundesliga games.
The 31-year-old appears on the verge of the first major trophy of his career this season, with Bayern currently eight points clear in the title race. In contrast, Arsenal are struggling to end their own wait for silverware, whichdates back to their 2020 FA Cup win.
Arteta’s side are currently seven points off Liverpool in their own title battle and out of both domestic cup competitions. They have made it through to the last-16 of the Champions League but are considered outsiders amid their injury woes.
And now former Manchester United and Spurs striker Louis Saha has bluntly implied that Kane won’t head to the Emirates for the same reason he left their north London rivals. “He left the country for trophies and a new challenge, and he could end up back in the Premier League,” he told Paddy Power.
“I could never see him joining Arsenal, though, as they are not guaranteed to win trophies, despite having great players and playing well. A striker of his quality will definitely give them more of a chance, but he can do that at Tottenham as well (not win trophies).”
Arteta’s failure to so far end the club’s two-decade wait for a Premier League crown or conquer Europe could also scupper his hopes of signing another forward star. The club have also been linked to Alexander Isak, who is excelling at Newcastle this season.
His prowess would have hit home to the Emirates faithful when he scored in the first leg of the League Cup semi-final last month, with the Toon Army proceeding to go through 4-0 on aggregate. But with his own side now just 90 minutes from a trophy, Isak may be reluctant to head elsewhere in the summer unless he’s convinced he can win major honours.
In the meantime, Arteta has admitted the club may look at free agents as a short-term fix this season. But short of overhauling Liverpool in this campaign, finding a long-term solution this summer could get that much harder.
