Arsenal were offered Mario Mandzukic this summer?

Arsenal fans were hoping that the club was going to sign a new striker all summer long and although we had to wait right until the final days of the window, Arsene Wenger finally got his man.

The likes of Morata, Higuain, Lacazette and Vardy were all linked and that’s just to name a few. But it was Spanish striker Lucas Perez who joined the club in a reported £17 million deal. Lucas was by no means Wenger’s obvious first choice and there were clearly other candidates in mind, but realistically who else could we have seen leading the line for Arsenal this weekend?

It has today been revealed that Arsenal may have been able to sign Juventus striker Mario Mandzukic this summer, after it has been reported that the Gunners rejected an approach from the Serie A Giants. The Old Lady came calling for Arsenal’s Alexis Sanchez, however the Gunners remained firm and rejected Juventus’ offer, which may have also included Mandzukic in the deal.

Arsenal rejected that offer, however with the contractual developments that seem to be surrounding Alexis at the moment, it is understood by the Metro that Juventus may come calling again with Mandzukic in the deal. They report that according to local Italian outlet Calciomercato, “Juventus could now seek to take advantage of the uncertainty surrounding Sanchez’s future, by trying their luck with a tempting swap deal for Arsenal.”

Personally I don’t entirely buy all of this Alexis Sanchez uncertainty because although I could understand his frustrations with the club, I don’t think he would cause a stir during the course of the season. Alexis has a winning mentality and wants to do well for his club, so regardless of whether or not he is hesitant towards signing a new deal, I don’t think he would let it affect his A game.

As for Mandzukic, personally I’ve never really been a fan and I think that the Croatian would be far too similar to Olivier Giroud. They both have the same physical strengths and although Mandzukic may be more proven to a higher level, I don’t think he would necessarily be an upgrade. Therefore, although I wouldn’t go as far as to say that our strike force still doesn’t need work, because I think more additions could be made, I don’t think Mandzukic would be the right choice and especially not for the value of losing Alexis Sanchez.

Would you have been happy with having Mandzukic at the club instead of Alexis?

By AH

8 Comments

  1. I actually believe that this might be true.

    Wenger clearly had.a specific type of player in mind,, with approaches for vardy and lacazette. Its clear he wanted a player to contrast giroud and compliment welbeck. All of the signings made we mre to give us the option of more high paced direct passing game. Both mustafi and xhaka are renowned for playin precise long passes over a defence. The kind of passes that perez, vardy and llacazette feed off of. Mandzukic wouldnt have helped in this area. He would have been a giroud lik player, Lthough a significantly more consistent one.

  2. Good that we didn’t. His goal scoring record is frighteningly similar with Giroud. So is is playing style.

    Glad we got different type of striker in Perez (who should start today!!)

    1. @Juhislihis McLovin

      You seem glad we didn’t get Mandzukic because of his goal scoring record being similar to that of Giroud’s, but happy to have Perez, who has an awful scoring record in comparison.

      I do agree that Perez has a different style that maybe is more suited to our way of playing, but surely goals is what’s needed, and Perez gets hardly any! I really hope he is a success, and he’ll have my full support, but he’s very poor signing. I knew Welbeck would flop because of record at ManU, and he did. I also feel Perez (with a similar price and record) will flop as well.

      It’s disgraceful to think, that come the end of this season, it’ will be FIVE years without a top class striker. That’s probably not happened at any so called top club ever! It’s even more sickening when you think of how much the fans are charged.

  3. Personally I think Mandzukic is better than Giroud, but I like Girouds aggression and Mandzukic is not sufficiently better enough nor different enough for us to settle on him. I think we could’ve easily gotten MM without this Alexis deal nonsense. We know Arsene’s not the type of manager who will always be on the lookout for better than what he’s got, for this reason I think Mandzukic is the wrong choice. I do feel however that he could have improved us and could have gotten Giroud on his toes a bit more, but that boat has sailed. Lets hope Perez really has got something about him, because if he is just a stop gap then counter attack or no counter attack Mandzukic would be the wiser/obvious choice.

  4. Mandzucic is remarkably similar to Giroud. Not much difference. He would offer a nearly like-for-like sub or injury replacement option – not much more.

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