“If you sign him and he failed to deliver, hold me responsible”: Former Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger names the only striker Arsenal really need to sign and not Gyokeres
Arsenal have been told to consider a young striker amid the loss of Gabriel Jesus to injury.
Arsenal have been told to consider a young striker as they potentially look to finally end the conversation over their lack of proven goalscorer. Mikel Arteta has resisted signing that kind of player over the last two seasons, instead relying on Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus for the most part.
But with the search for a first title in more than two decades continuing, it’s clear that the approach has not been enough. Arsenal still need a goalscorer to break open games in which they are struggling to create clear-cut chances, and that was again made clear on Sunday.
The Gunners were taken to penalties by Manchester United in the FA Cup third round, ultimately losing on spot kicks, while they have generally over-relied on set-pieces for goals for weeks. Couple that with the loss of Gabriel Jesus to injury for what could be months, if not the end of the season, and Arteta now has a clear need for a striker.
Jesus was stretchered off with what appeared to be a serious knee injury during the United game, and that leaves Arsenal looking very thin up top. But this is something many saw coming, and Gary Lineker was one of them, saying on the Rest is Football podcast on Monday: “I said it at the beginning of the season, I felt that’s what they [Arsenal] needed and I think that would possibly cost them the league not investing in that position.”
Fellow host Micah Richards added: “It’s hard, you can’t just go out and get a No.9, there’s not that many in world football. The one I looked at as maybe short term was Osimhen. The problems he’s had at Napoli, he’s been allowed to go on loan in Turkey. But he’s a proven goalscorer at that level, in the Champions League as well. Obviously, I’m sure Arsenal would like to have someone like Isak.”
Lineker then proposed that Arsenal should look at Ipswich Town talent Liam Delap as they scour the market for potential strikers. “Or they could go for a young, up-and-coming one, because once they’re proven you can’t get them, but someone like Delap I see has got a real something about him,” he responded.
The 21-year-old striker has scored eight times for Ipswich so far this season.
Guardiola on Delap
Delap has also been linked with Chelsea in recent times, and he comes with an impressive reference having come through the Manchester City academy, impressing Pep Guardiola along the way. The City boss said back in 2022: “Liam last season grew up a lot especially with (under-23 coach) Enzo Maresca helping him to develop. He is a type of striker we don’t have, a killer, typical British striker.
“The only problem was injured and after injured and after injured, he struggled a lot with his ankles but he has a special quality. One of the precious values you have to have is to be patient. He’s a special striker we don’t have, a lovely guy, fighter, every training session, every time he fights and wins the duels or break his nose. Fight and fight and fight and right moment he is good. For the quality he has he will get what he deserves.”
