“Don’t sign Isak, sign this guy instead and become a title contender”: Arsenal legend Arsene Wenger has named the only striker Mikel Arteta need to sign and turn Arsenal to a title winner
Arsenal icon Jeremie Aliadiere has had his say on who Mikel Arteta should sign to feature up front in the coming transfer windows – with the French forward telling GIVEMESPORT’s ‘Market Madness’ podcast that Alexander Isak and Ollie Watkins should be two potential targets to make the Gunners more of a threat on the counter-attack.
Isak has been in fine form for Newcastle United this season, having been arguably the best striker in the Premier League with the Magpies clinching their first piece of silverware in 70 years via the League Cup, whilst Watkins has been consistent in the Premier League over the past half-decade, recording double figures in each Premier League season since his move from Brentford to Villa Park, nabbing 72 goals in just 175 top-flight appearances.
Aliadiere Tells Arsenal to go for Isak or Watkins in Summer
The Premier League duo are two of the best strikers in the Premier League
Both were linked with Arsenal in the January transfer window, as Watkins became the subject of a bid from the Gunners nearing the transfer deadline, whilst the “world-class” Isak has consistently been touted for a move to the Emirates Stadium following his fine form for the Magpies in recent seasons
And Aliadiere has reinforced that standpoint, telling GIVEMESPORT’s ‘Market Madness’ podcast that Arteta should look to revisit his keenness in the pair as they would give Arsenal a different dynamic by getting in behind defences and stretching the play for Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Martinelli to profit. The Frenchman stated:
“Alexander Isak, for me, all day long. I think we’ve lacked runners in behind, making runs beyond defenders, and going pretty quickly in terms of transition.
“I think we’ve been lacking this at Arsenal for quite a while now where we work very hard to get the ball back, and once we do get it, we lack the instinct striker that makes a run quickly where the space is.
“I feel we are quite predictable, take a bit too long to go forward and give the opportunity for the opponent to get back into shape.
“That for me is because of the lack of a quick No.9 who will go and make that run over the defence and over the top. I think Isak, for me, is the best, and I like [Ollie] Watkins as well, he’s a similar style player.
“Both play in the Premier League so there won’t be any adaptation time which you could have with foreign players that come from abroad.”
Aliadiere, who joined Arsenal as a 16-year-old, made 51 appearances for the Gunners before departing in 2007 after scoring nine times for the club under Arsene Wenger.
Loan spells at Celtic, West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers prior to a permanent move to Middlesbrough ensure that he knows quite a bit about the British game – and Isak would undoubtedly strengthen their ranks.
The Swede has 58 goals in just 100 appearances for the Magpies, and is coming to his peak at the age of 25 – whilst Watkins has 84 goals in 210 games for Villa, and either would be an astute arrival in their search for that elusive Premier League trophy.
