Mikel Arteta must sign a striker for Arsenal to win the Premier League title, so says Alan Shearer.
For two years on the bounce, Arteta’s awe-inspiring Gunners have fired to a tee but have come up short due to Pep Guardiola’s infallible Manchester City.
The stars seem to be aligning for the north London club this year, however. With Guardiola’s contract expiring, key players lost or on the verge of leaving, and the Citizens’ impending legal battle, this could be the campaign the juggernaut is thwarted.
Premier League icon Shearer agrees but believes the club needs to add one final lynchpin to pip Guardiola’s City to the title, a goal-hungry striker.
“If they sign a top-class striker between now and the end of the season, I think they’ll win the league,” Shearer stated on The Rest Is Football podcast. “This is the one, but I think they still need that striker.”
Arteta has been coy about needing a top-class centre-forward but did reveal that the club is looking to improve in every position, presumably including the Gunners’ attack.
“With the new regulations, there are certain things we have to respect and be conscious of,” Arteta told ESPN. “But, there are things that we have to improve, that’s for sure, and we are going to try to. We are looking to improve in every possible department.
“The market is tricky, but we have been very aggressive. We are very determined and have a clear idea of what we want to do. It will come down to finding the right agreements at the right time.”
Plenty of potential recruits have been rumoured to have piqued the Gunners’ interest. One standout is Brentford striker Ivan Toney, who was heavily touted to become a Gunner in January.
The 28-year-old has publicly stated his desire to leave the Gtech Community Stadium as soon as possible, but no potential suitors have yet to make a concrete approach.
With just a year left on his current Bees deal, it could be a case of clubs waiting until the summer to avoid paying the player’s roughly £50million asking price.
Newcastle star Alexander Isak’s name was linked with the Gunners earlier in this window, but with the Magpies balancing their books amid PSR breach fears, the Swede looks out of Arteta’s budget – with a fee of over £100m reportedly needed to secure his services.
Another Swede could pose as a more likely option. Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres has an £86m release clause in his contract but could be available for less this summer.
The Portuguese outfit even hinted that their asset might be in line for a transfer after paying his old club, Coventry City, to reduce his sell-on fee by five per cent.
Other strikers could catch Arteta’s eye, but he may choose to go against Shearer’s claims, weathering the season with just Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus up front with Eddie Nketiah seemingly surplus to requirements.
Havertz impressed after making his £65m move from Chelsea last year, and despite Jesus being on the verge of a move to Saudi Arabia, he too has earned plaudits from his manager and could play a significant role in this campaign.
“He looks really good,” Arteta stated after Jesus’ impressive performances in pre-season. “He looks really sharp. He has changed a lot of things over the summer.
“He has come in top condition again. And when you have that baseline, other things can be built, but without that foundation, you don’t have a player. He’s realised that and I’m really happy with what he’s shown. There’s a spark there.”
