Arsenal Transfers: 10 Strikers Arsene Wenger Must Sign Before Window Shuts
Giroud can't do it all by himself...
Olivier Giroud is a good player, and quite under-rated by many. His performances for France at the Euros were terrific, and his goalscoring record for Arsenal is exemplary. He has survived in this Gunners set-up for so long due to his good link-up play, excellent technical ability and his ability to not only score, but provide goals for his team-mates.
Indeed, it may be a case of Arsenal fans simply wanting what they can’t have as you can bet that if the Frenchman had banged 57 goals in four league seasons elsewhere, they’d be clamouring for Arsene Wenger to sign him.
However, for all his positives, Giroud can’t do it on his own. Danny Welbeck has recently sustained a long-term injury (again), while there is a strong whiff of merchandise flogging in the south-east ala Park Chu-young surrounding new signing Takuma Asano. Without making him a scapegoat, there also must be a reason why Arsenal haven’t won a league title with Giroud leading the line.
While Giroud’s goalscoring records are consistent - breaking into double-digits every year - they aren’t befitting of a superstar. Last season was his joint-highest in the league with 16, and it was still nine short of Golden Boot winner Harry Kane. So Wenger needs to get out the cheque book. If not to sign a world-class striker, then at least to deliver a player who will shoulder the burden that Giroud will have now that Welbeck has been consigned to the treatment room.
Take a look at the ten strikers Arsenal should be looking at.
10. Sebastien Haller
Something of an unknown quantity to English audiences, Sebastien Haller is a talent worth paying attention to.
The 22-year-old striker has netted 30 Eredivisie goals for FC Utrecht in the last two seasons. Now much can be read into the disguised goalscoring records in Holland - after all, Mateja Kezman, Afonso Alves and Memphis Depay all finished as top scorer over there. Then again, so did Luis Suarez.
Haller is yet to receive a call-up to the French national side, but has represented his country at various underage levels, including at the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Don’t let the links to Swansea throw you - Haller has potential, and if he continues his current trajectory, who knows where his career will take him.
He may be a risk, but it could be a risk worth taking for the club who love to nurture young talent.