Are Arsenal‘s striker ranks an issue or a blessing? There are two sides of the coin right here, reality be advised.
Whereas Viktor Gyokeres has appeared like one thing of a misfit since arriving on the Emirates Stadium, he’s the membership’s prime scorer with 11 objectives this time period and is on the right track to hit 20 objectives for the marketing campaign.
For reference, no participant has finished that underneath Mikel Arteta for the reason that days of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. No matter you consider the Swede, he hasn’t been the disastrous addition that many make him out to be.
Mix his abilities with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz and you’ve got three centre-forwards all with totally different qualities and all, crucially, scoring objectives.
Certainly, whereas they don’t seem to be really prolific, they’ve popped up at very important moments this time period, with Jesus scoring twice contained in the San Siro within the Champions League and Havertz scoring that late winner towards Chelsea a number of days in the past.
|
Arsenal’s strikers in 2026 |
||
|---|---|---|
|
Participant |
Video games |
Objectives |
|
Gyokeres |
9 |
4 |
|
Havertz |
5 |
2 |
|
Jesus |
9 |
3 |
That being mentioned, the jury continues to be out on Gyokeres and it could be a shock if Jesus continues to be in London subsequent season.
In consequence, eyes have been solid within the path of Julian Alvarez and a few of Europe’s different prime forwards.
Why Julian Alvarez can be an distinctive signing for Arsenal
Gyokeres might be on the right track to finish the marketing campaign because the Gunners’ prime goalscorer however he is left loads to be desired with a few of his performances.
Many video games go him by the place he fails to hyperlink many passes or have many touches, and that was evident towards Chelsea within the Carabao Cup semi-final on Tuesday evening. The previous Sporting man was an nameless and remoted determine up prime, though not for the primary time. He had simply ten touches of the ball and accomplished a single go on the evening. He did, nonetheless, rating towards Leeds United final weekend.
Alvarez, subsequently, absolutely represents an improve. Valued at £80m, experiences in current weeks recommend that they’re gearing as much as make a transfer for the Argentine in the summertime and have allegedly already held talks.
Combining the perfect qualities of each Jesus and Havertz, he’d be a marvellous seize. Just like the German, he drops deep to hyperlink the play, successfully generally known as one thing of a Raumdeuter.
A Raumdeuter (German for “house interpreter” or “house investigator”) is a job on the pitch that depends on a participant discovering and exploiting empty house within the remaining third, positioning themselves to obtain the ball or end probabilities with out being immediately marked.
Nonetheless, like Jesus, he is obtained great technical potential and might burst previous a participant, utilizing his shut management across the penalty field to work alternatives to attain from.
Crucially, he scores objectives. He has been magnificent for Atletico Madrid since buying and selling Manchester for the Spanish capital, firing dwelling 40 objectives in 88 video games.
Within the phrases of journalist Roy Nemer, he was the “greatest ahead on this planet” final season and it is onerous to dispute that given his all-round set of attributes.
That mentioned, whereas Alvarez can be a sensational signing, maybe there’s a greater participant on the market extra worthy of paying an enormous charge for.
Former Arsenal star is now a much bigger expertise than Julian Alvarez
Alvarez loved a superb spell at Manchester Metropolis, netting 36 objectives in 103 matches, additionally supplying 19 assists. Whereas Pep Guardiola deemed him expendable as a consequence of Erling Haaland’s outstanding file, there is no such thing as a doubting simply how good the Argentine is.
Arsenal already have their very own Alvarez, he is a “Bergkamp form of participant”
Arsenal are enthusiastic about signing Julian Alvarez this summer time.
But, is he higher than a sure Michael Olise? Arguably not. Unfastened experiences in direction of the again finish of final 12 months urged that the Gunners have been in prising the Frenchman away from Bayern Munich and who can blame them?
Since buying and selling Crystal Palace for Germany, he has change into among the best wingers in world soccer, even surpassing the exploits of Alvarez.
Why? Properly, the 24-year-old has registered some really jaw-dropping numbers in Munich this time period underneath Vincent Kompany’s wing. Having made 32 appearances, Olise has registered a whopping 23 assists, 17 of which have are available 20 Bundesliga outings. On prime of that, he has overwhelmed the goalkeeper on 13 events. He is a very elite footballer.
That mentioned, it could be one thing of a shock to be taught that he was beforehand within the Arsenal academy. Sure, Olise left the membership round 15 years in the past, having initially been a part of the youth setup on the Emirates.
So, who’s in charge for shedding him? Properly, it was truly the ahead and his household’s resolution to go elsewhere, subsequently transferring to Chelsea the place he spent most of his early life, earlier than having a spell at Manchester Metropolis.
Talking on his days as a youth participant, former Chelsea coach Sean Conlon, who noticed a seven-year-old Olise taking part in for Hayes, acknowledged: “Michael was coaching with Arsenal on the time as a result of earlier than you progress into the U9s, you are allowed to coach with a number of groups. However he in all probability lived nearer to Chelsea they usually clearly have an incredible academy so he ended up signing for them.”
Whereas Olise by no means made a first-team look for Chelsea or Metropolis, he ultimately made his identify at Studying within the EFL earlier than actually changing into a family identify at Crystal Palace.
A pure pleasure to observe within the Premier League, he moved to Bayern in the summertime of 2024 to the tune of £50.8m. Now, in response to experiences, he has been valued at a seismic £123m, over £40m greater than the £80m charge Alvarez has been touted to maneuver for in the summertime.
It is secure to say that Arsenal will undoubtedly have some remorse that they weren’t in a position to entice the winger to remain when he was a boy.
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