There are many Gooners who are desperate for Arsenal to sign players in the current January transfer window—but not me. I’m happily in the minority.
Some might question whether I’ve lost my marbles, but quite frankly, we have a very good team as it is, and there’s no need to spend unnecessary money in a rushed window that only lasts a few more days.
Arsenal are only six points off Liverpool in first place, and we haven’t lost to them or any of the top sides this season with our current squad.
There are only a few months left until the end of the season—what difference does it make to sign a few players who we don’t know much about or who will have little time to adjust?
Yes, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was an excellent buy during the 2018 winter transfer window, but he was a marvellous exception who went on to become our top striker for two seasons.
On the other hand, let’s take Kim Källström, for example, who Arsenal signed during the 2014 mid-season transfer market on loan from Spartak Moscow. The Swede appeared in only four games between January and May. He featured three times in the Premier League and once in the FA Cup, where he came off the bench to score in the semi-final penalty shootout against Wigan Athletic after a 1-1 draw. Even though he was only on loan, he struggled to adapt to the English top flight, just like many other players Arsenal have brought in mid-season over the years.
Some fans want Mikel Arteta to sign Newcastle United talisman and the Premier League’s current third top scorer with 17 goals, Alexander Isak. But let’s not forget that we already have a strong striker in Kai Havertz, who has scored nearly as many goals in all competitions as Isak. We can’t keep chopping and changing players in the hope of instant success. The North Londoners only signed Havertz less than two seasons ago—let’s give him a proper chance!
There are rumours that Isak would cost over £100 million to buy. Havertz, on the other hand, was nearly half that price, and we’ve so far seen good value for money from him.
It seems the common consensus among fans is that signing a player like Isak will guarantee us top spot and the Premier League title, but football isn’t as simple as that, as we all know.
Take Raheem Sterling, for example. We brought him in on loan from Chelsea earlier this season, expecting him to work wonders. Apart from a couple of goals in the League Cup, he has struggled to fit into the chemistry of the side and has looked far from the feared attacker he once was in the Premier League and beyond.
There’s a lack of faith in our current Arsenal players, who have done a good job this season despite being under immense pressure to win a trophy. Sometimes, patience and trust in the squad we already have are more valuable than spending big in a transfer window.
Do we really need anyone else right now?
Liam Harding
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That’s easy to say when there are only two or three days left of the transfer window, but did you make a similar statement earlier in the month?
Of course we need someone, I would suggest a striker as a minimum. Jesus is a permanent fixture in the treatment room, and Havertz is the only person playing as “striker.”
Havertz needs the rest and certainly the competition to keep his spot. It’s not just about depth, it is about quality.
I don’t blame Havertz for being a poor substitute for a striker, I blame Arteta for playing him as a striker rather than acquiring an actual striker. Hopefully Arteta has a change in ways and either now or the Summer brings in a striker who is a finisher.
We have plenty of bodies in attack that can run, press, defend, pass, do everything except reliably finishes off chances. Strikers convert chances, and we don’t have anyone who can do that with any consistency.
The Koronke Family are genius that they have some Gooners saying this
They might even end up slashing the wage bill this month and a fan is saying they are happy
Genuine business model
If Arsenal buys no one and Omar Marmoush scores on us on Sunday then we will see how happy the fans are with the squad.
Sadly our squad looks tired and the problems that cost us last season in games against Villa and Bayern Munich have not been rectified this season. The new players brought in have been OK but we still need a goal scoring left winger and a striker who can get 20 plus goals a season.
If you really think we can win anything this season with the current squad then you are clearly blinded by your optimism.
You truly have lost your marbles (your own words). Arsenal won’t win the league from 6 points behind Liverpool, nor will it win anything with the multiple point blank misses by Havertz. The 14 yr old Obi kid that Arteta let go, could definitely have put away most of the goals our €69 million guy missed. If I may ask, what exactly makes you an Arsenal fan?
That’s why Koronkes are genius
They have fans who will accept 2nd and make excuses
What will you do with our owner besides complaining about them? Do you prefer an Arabic owner? Or another owner who needs to wash their reputation in the PL? Do you have anything positive to say about Arsenal FC?
Yeah
I said the other day that Declan Rice was amazing the other day and has been brilliant recently
Defensively we have one of the best in the world
Mentally we can now win games that the previous versions can’t . We can go away and grind out results
I think Arteta is a good but not great manager
I praised the heart and spirit of the team the other day
I pointed out the abuse Mr Oliver received which I think is a good thing to do
I defended the likes of Martinelli like I defended the likes of Ozil and Auba
I stuck up for Mr Wenger when I was in the minority
I was invited to meet him due to my positive articles
I do a predictions league for free and out of own money sent prizes
I raise awareness for black history month and mental health , etc
But because I think that our owner have zero ambition ……..I have nothing positive to say
Thank you Dan, I needed to read something else from your keyboard. I agree almost everything but I don’t agree about our owner and their ambitions, because they have shown something else since 2018, when they gained fully control of our club. I’m sure that we could have had a more proactive and ambitious owner, but I don’t know this owner and their personality.
I was simply answering your question do I say anything positive about Arsenal.
I got to meet Arsene Wenger and players on the back of a positive article I wrote so make that make sense
I simply won’t be bullied into saying well done to an owner who has had serious power since 2011 and has seen us regress
The irony being that means I care more then you
We won’t win the title for another year and your say well done Arsenal and question me !!!
Do you not see that
Have I bullied you? I have asked what you want to do with our owner, and what owner you want that is significantly better than the owner we have. I noticed that you couldn’t answer or ignored the question.
If you notice I don’t try to change an opinion
What some do is go well instead of respecting your opinion ( and who cares what I think anyway ) I’m going to call you this or your not a fan
So then next time a topic comes up that person says what you want
That’s a reflection on society
People want the freedom to speak as long as they hear what they want ?
You think I have nothing positive to say right ?
Is there not a chance that I simply on this topic truly believe what I’m saying
If someone wrote Declan Rice was terrible , I would defend him.
It’s as simple as last couple of days I don’t agree with the majority view
You will never be in a position to change my opinions, but I support your right to express your own opinions.
I have noticed that you could not answer a simple question about an alternativ management.
I never said Arteta should be sacked
Last try, Dan.
What will you do with our owner besides complaining about them? Do you prefer an Arabic owner? Or another owner who needs to wash their reputation in the PL?
Mate I’ll be honest
There is nothing we can do
That’s my point , I’m not naive enough to think there is anything I can do to .
Only time they would react is if 60-000 fans boycotted the Emirates’.
The issue is they know if 10-000 did that , the same number will take their tickets
No I wouldn’t prefer the alternatives you offered but that doesn’t make the Koronkes good owners just because there are worse options out there .
Thank you Dan, we have much the same opinion. I have a different perspective. When I became an Arsenal fan in the beginning of the 70s I didn’t choose our club because of our trophy cabinet. Most of my friends went to Liverpool, Leeds or ManUnited. For me there was one option and I have never regretted my choice 🔴⚪️
I don’t regret me choice
I been fortunate to have grown up with Mr Wenger , Thierry Henry, Bergkamp , Adams , Cole , Pires , Viera ,etc
These were great players
So when I hear the other day Josh Koronke has done well or 2nd isn’t too bad I think nah , we have regressed as a club since then
When you’re writing those positive article are they not the owner then? Funny….lol..
I thought comments and articles had no effect. You met Arsene Wenger because of one. Did you miss your chance? I must admit to being quite envious though. btw, I don’t believe you were in the minority of those who didn’t want a new manager until the Wenger Out crowd eventually could not be ignored and changed the narrative.
It has zero impact on the result or chances of a team
A film company saw my article so no it had zero impact
We could both write an article that Arsenal are amazing and will win the CL this season and they won’t
Exactly so at the time I would have seen them as negative and I was accused of being too positive to Wenger , to Ozil , etc
So you know that Arsenal will not win the UCL? That’s exactly the what I’m referring to. You or I may not believe they will win the UCL, go to the semis, or whatever but the difference is that I allow for the possibility that it will happen regardless of what I expect and because of that possibility I choose to hope that it happens.
I don’t know for certain no lol
I simply make a prediction on what you see
Is that front three good enough to win CL , no
Do we mentally choke when the lights are on bright ? Yes
But just saying we will win it because you love Arsenal has zero impact on the team
I can’t remember any comments on here saying that we would definitely win the UCL. Many have certainly made comments hoping for it. Regardless the possibility is still there irrespective of my love for Arsenal.
Didn’t say there was
Said there was last season and then you asked me do I know we won’t ?
Heaven forbid a difference of opinion! I don’t think it is right or fair to be accusing people of not supporting the club because they have a different view to you.
You’re also making wild assumptions that Obi would have been able to do any better at the highest level. I don’t see him in the MU side? Has he displaced Hojlund or Zirkzee and I haven’t noticed?
Havertz misses a lot of chances yes, but he also scores a lot of them, and he only gets those chances because of his ability to be in those positions at the right time. Bold to assume a 14 year old who can smash them in at U18 could do the same.
So somebody who has a different opinion to you about our players isn’t a fan according to you eh….grow up.
This reply was for Mo…..
Our squad is thin, stretched, and missing our best player.
I think bringing in someone like Jonathan David makes a lot of sense. Yes, he might be free in the summer but then again he might sign an extension and if he is available now for a low price it makes sense. I think he’d be a good cultural fit and it would take some of the load off Havertz. He can also play on the wing, so it adds depth to multiple positions.
January is always a risky time to buy but if you go after the right players it can also be a great time to add some much needed depth.
👍Ben. If the club rates him at all this is the time to strike if he will accept a reasonable contract betterment to what he is getting at Lille.
With the adversity we’ve faced this season and for us to be second in the league and third in the UCL it shows that we are a very good team But we need signings and at the least, they’d be ready for next season if brought in now and at best we’d improve immediately I don’t know why any fan would prefer to stick
I disagree, Arsenal fans are not only desperate to have players signed in the January transfer window. They were also desperate for Arsenal to sign a player in the Jul/ Aug Transfer window, specifically a great striker. The coach got it wrong when he turned down Isak for £75m then showed no hesitation to buy Havertz as a foreward for £70m. Arsenal needed a good striker even when Jesus was not injured because neither Havertz nor Jesus are strikers. It is obvious when you watch how they play the game i.e. spend most of their time far away from the opposition box and how they both miss too many chances. Yes, great striker will not guarantee an EPL trophy but will definitely guarantee a much greater chance of an EPL trophy than not having a great striker.
Is the generalization that Jan transfers are usually flops specifically made for Arsenal or for all the other football clubs as well?
I understand Liam’s point of view and I also understand the view that we are shorthanded.
My worry is that a hasty purchase or loan that doesn’t work. The old saying, repent at leisure springs to mind. I don’t know the answer, but I’d be reluctant for Arteta to just to sign someone who isn’t suitable in the long term. I can only hope for a miracle that the injured players return soon enough to mount a challenge, the injuries dry up, and for them to surprise me and almost everybody else and win a trophy. I’m not holding my breath, but hope springs eternal
Even though it would be contrary to the how the rest of the season has gone, I’m hoping for the squad to be back up to full strength including Saka by the later rounds of the UCL. I seriously doubt that even perfect signings in this transfer window could win us the league this season but you never know. As you state hope springs eternal.
I think we need signings as ‘extra bodies’ if not for anything else. We need to first understand that these players are humans and as such subject to wear and tear.At the moment we are having to play the same people every three days-that’s just not sustainable.If we overplay them,they are more likely to get long term injuries and that will affect our short and long term plans.
That extra player,especially in attack, can be the difference between us losing yet another player to injury and maintaining fitness/sharpness. At this point it’s not about the new signing being a game changer rather the new signing playing 15 minutes here and there to keep our actual game changers fit and firing.
Spot on Onyango.
The loss of Saka has made it necessary to get another forward in my opinion. Actually even if Saka wasn’t injured we still should have signed a player or 2
To be fair it’s extremely difficult to make top transfers
And this makes question of why MA paid over £60 million for Havertz when he could have bought a better striker, especially considering Havertz was playing quite badly for Chelsea. I think it was bad business personally
With a top striker We would be closet to Liverpool imho
Becuase, Arteta loves to buy average players on expensive fee. Arteta is Lucky that at least Havertz played decently at CF otherwise with his original plan he flopped at midfield. It could have been more embarrassment for him. We had lost many points in these 2 seasons due to his stubborness of playing Havertz in middle and Partey at RB.
Liam Harding,
While I respect your right to your opinion. I can’t agree with it I’m afraid.
You give examples of previous players signed in the January Transfer windows, both good and bad. Unfortunately that’s the risk you take.
But here’s an example of a player who we brought in the January transfer window and was a raging success.
A certain Arshavin, he couldn’t put a foot wrong from January to May of that season. The problem came in the next full season, where he had a complete Weston super-mare, (Nightmare for those who don’t understand slang😊). In his case it was the other way around. But as I said, no matter the player, there is always an element of risk. Just some risks are bigger than others.
As for your comparison regarding Havertz and Isak, come on really!. There is no comparison.
I don’t altogether blame Havertz, because he’s clearly not and never will be the out and out striker that we need. That decision was down to our manager, (what was he thinking🤦♂️). Lets be honest if there wasn’t someone better to pay £65 million for other than Havertz, then football is in trouble isn’t it.
And as for your take on sterling, you talk about gambles in Transfer windows. Well that was a gamble taken in the Summer window, and a desperate gamble at that.
When all said and done we need a striker now, whether that be a loan, a short time buy until the Summer I don’t know. All I know is the team are badly in need of a striker, and it’s about time the manager got his head out of the sand and go and get one.
Havertz cost us £65m plus close to £15m per year for the length of his contract. Are you saying he is worth that outlay? It’s too late in this window to buy a top striker even if MA wanted to, which I have always doubted anyway.
No I’m certainly not Andrew Elder.
I have never been a fan of Havertz, in whatever position he plays in. It’s nothing personal, I just don’t rate him.
If anyone out there tells me that Arteta couldn’t have spent that £65 Million on a better player, I’ll show you a liar.🙄🤦♂️
Yes, he is worth that. The problem is most of the people watching the games and perusing this forum are mostly very near-sighted, or just too bitter to see all the good things he does.
He does what any player on the field needs to do Ben, challenges for fifty fifty balls tries to get into good positions link up etc. Big problem for Arsenal is that there are/ were players out there who can this better and more effectively.
Joe. S,
Totally agree with you, Havertz was never needed at Arsenal.
The £65 Million wasted on him could and should have been spent so much better.
We can’t say that the club haven’t backed Arteta in the transfer market, but unfortunately some of the money wasted on signings leave a lot to be desired. 🤦♂️
Not sure how you can compare Isak to Havertz,it’s not even close Liam
Isak
21 app in prem
17 goals 5 assists
Havertz
20 app in prem
8 goals 2 assists
Isak also playing in weaker team .
We need a top striker,Havertz is not that player (he’s not even a striker )the last 2-3 weeks should be evident enough .
When you look at the money paid for both it’s obvious who got the better player .
Isak also on half of Havertz weekly wage .
That is something the fan club would not like others to read.
By the way, we do not need anybody as we have Mikel!
Out/nearly out of both domestic cups, just a handful of EL and 15 EPL games, that’s it. We are not on course to win either.
Even if we sign Isak, our build up play is so bad/boring, I doubt he would make an impact. We need creativity in the middle which is non existent when TP plays RB. Saka has been carrying this team for the last two seasons, an injury was always lurking around the corner, everyone knew it except Mikel who brought in a flop to be his backup. Rice has regressed this season another waste of 100M+, The season is over, just cross the dotted line separating UCL/EL with the talent from the reserves, surely they cannot do more worse than Sterling , Gabby J or Kai. Skelly and Ethan grabbed their opportunities, surely somebody may rise to the occasion. I do not trust Mikel with 1 GBP to make the right decision.
This write up only benefits the Kroenke, who has never won a league since he took over as Arsenal owner. But busy adjusting tickets upward. The most expensive tickets in the laegue. Tje money is not for us fans , it’s for Kroenke. Fans only need to win the league and be happy..it ends there
Not the most expensive ticket prices in the league actually Kaps, but that’s an argument for another day. Though Kroenke made a huge mistake by saying “trophies didn’t matter” when he bought the club, the ownership model has changed dramatically. After the Rams showed him that success on the field breeds success on the investment front and with Josh now in charge, the Kroenkes have shown with their investments in Arsenal that trophies do matter, though their blind faith in Arteta might very well be tested in the near future if trophies are not forthcoming!
Trophies matter but out of FA Cup , title race and nearly League Cup when he knew beforehand we needed help up front ?
Arteta wants Sesko, Nico Williams and Zubimendi. They are not bad additions and if they happen, the team building will be completed. He wants one of the strikers from January. If he doesn’t succeed, he will try again in the summer. I think that is his plan, it seems logical to me and the owners probably agree. Another transfer only if an opportunity arises, like the young Norwegian who is considered good.
It doesn’t have to be any of those players you listed above. Arsenal need more players to be able to sustain the position we are in now. The need will become clear when transfer closes and our overplayed players succumb to fatigue.
If I were the coach I will bring in players like Mathy Tel on loan. He is young, fast and two footed. He can play on the right, left and centrally up front. I might even surprise everyone and bring in Luis Suarez. That is how desperate I think we need a striker.
It’s looking like a case of too little too late. I don’t think a panic buy would help us much when we should be going for the best available talent next summer window. Last summer was a dumb show in terms of who Arteta singled out and brought to the club, Califiori excluded, although even here there were higher priorities than signing another centre half. At this stage Arteta will just have to make the best of the cards he has dealt himself, with potentially another ” lost” season for us fans at least. My main concern at this moment is how we are so easily allowing our youth talent to simply slip away ( and to Manure) Something is not right and it might have to do with a manager who hasn’t been able to offer these players faster pathways into the first team.
Its enough squad for not wining cup
Arsenal must sign a striker not any striker but a world class striker. It must happen now.
Great in 1930s and average most of the time afterwards. Now one of the best clubs in the league and doing good in the CL. I’m an Arsenal fan because I love this club and I accept that we have our shortcomings, they don’t influence on anything. We can choose to lift this great club and help them with all the power we have, or be a negative force making everything more difficult for them. I have chosen my position and you should do the same 🔴⚪️
But I have written on here for like 10 years and can name you so many positive fans
Most predictions are Arsenal will win every week
So if most are positive but we don’t win the title in 21 years does that not prove that your positive energy online has little to zero impact?
In a stadium yes but online not
If 10 write Arsenal will beat Man City on Sunday
And 11 write a draw
And one writes we lose
Do you truly think that has any impact ?
I believe that everything matters mate, and we need to build a force and stay behind our club. Negativity doesn’t help and creates more negativity. We are in a strong position and have returned as one of the best clubs in the PL. Now we shouldn’t get desperate but support our club to make the final step, and I’m sure we will manage. COYG!
No we won’t
If we signed a striker like Duran on the 1st January
That would be more helpful to our chances of winning something then our owners doing nothing but you saying ‘ well this is great isn’t it’
Do you not see the Koronke Family business model is based on your mindset
It doesn’t matter how long they don’t win the Prem because they know they have fans like you who will say ‘ we have not won a title in 21 years but we are one of the best ‘
How many times were we runners up between 2006 and 2018? Unlike you I recognise progress and we have never been closer in almost two decades. Let’s bring it home mate 🔴⚪️
Exactly mate lol
How many times before 2006 were we in top 2
Then ask this between 2006-2018 how many times were we in top 4 and be honest quite content for that to be it
Now in 2025 ….we are in top 4 , title race is over and they are still content
If I’m wrong , look at what we spent in summer ( net ) and why is a striker not here yet ?
The reality mate ?
Because they know they have the likes of you who will say ‘ 6 points behind Liverpool who have a game in hand ‘…..’ that’s okay ‘
I say , I don’t mind us not winning as long as we try our best and I think if you have the second highest manager in the world ,you charge some of the most expensive tickets , you can afford to pay Havertz 270-000 pound a week I’m allowed to say .
…….. 21 years without a title is not positive to me
Sorry mate but you don’t seem to get my point because you are too focused on your own narrative. For me there’s a significant difference between #4 and runners up. It’s also far more positive to “compete” with the best than to end up 20, 30 or 40 points behind them.
Yeah I don’t get your point
Before 2006 we competed
In 2016 we finished second and competed
In 2025 we are out of the title race in January so I don’t see since they joined the board , progression
Do you expect business people to throw their money after a club they didn’t fully controlled? They took control in August 2018 by purchasing Usmanov’s 30%. For many years there was an ongoing conflict between the two
parties. We have definitely seen a different approach since 2018.
In 2016 we should have won the league, we became #2 with 71 points! 10 points behind Leicester.
When your owning over 60 percent of that club and the club falls yes that’s on you
Has it changed ?
It took us falling to 8th and our worse league position in 25 years twice and our of Europe for them to spend money ( and I still think that was a PR move after the Super League)
Now back in top 4 ambition is again low . Net spend was not huge in summer and should have had a striker ready for now .
Scared of that next step
We may think we write/read comments and articles in a bubble but we do not. Narratives online or otherwise do make their way to the stadium and to the owners’ pockets eventually. If not, there’s always flying a banner over the Emirates, lol (although totally uncalled for imo)
And have what impact ?
So for example the majority on here said last season we would win the title
So that gets back to the dressing room and Arteta says ….
‘ the majority on Justarsenal are positive about your chances ‘
It led to ….nothing
A fan in summer said Havertz would score more then Halland and Eddie was better option then Mbappe
That positivity led to …..
The likes of me are then called negative for saying you don’t win a title with Eddie Nketiah or Havertz but ……are correct
I don’t care if you’re negative or not, it’s just your opinion. You haven’t been proved right regarding Havertz yet; that is simply your belief not an absolute. I would never state that we will definitely win the title, lose the title, or finish 9th regardless of what I believed was most likely. If I had faith in such prognostication I’d be online to Vegas. I prefer to have an open mind to the possibilities good OR bad even if I don’t consider them likely.
Well no mate
If someone is positive and says Havertz will score more league goals then Halland
And I say no he won’t
They are positive and wrong
I’m negative but correct
If we don’t win the title this season those negative people who said the current squad and manager are not good enough are correct and those who said we would while positive are wrong
Proving what I said that being positive for sake of it has zero bearings on the team
You are not correct or incorrect. They are not wrong or right. Right or wrong regarding to the future can only be determined in the future. We can have opinions about the future but the are only that – not irrefutable facts.
That’s why I said if
Currently though those who were positive and said Havertz would out score Halland in the league are worn
Last season people said we were faves to win the CL and didn’t fear Bayern Munich
I ended up betting with someone on this site ( I let him keep the money) we wouldn’t simply because up front we were not good enough and mentally we go missing when it counts
I was called negative , not a true fan , etc
That was an example of me being negative but correct and that being positive for sake of positive has zero bearings on team
Bro you’re lying…. Or name that person and his quote..
About Havertz and Halland
In the summer mate
I think if he sees this HH will back me up , think it was him who with me disagreed
I’ll try and find it
https://www.justarsenal.com/with-villa-tottenham-and-man-city-in-our-first-5-games-arsenal-must-get-off-to-a-fast-start/373036
Thanks, that’s my opinion too. We must decide what we want and help our club. I’m not happy with everything but I enjoy our progress 🔴⚪️
Friend, you’ve spent half your life without seeing the joy of winning a championship. You know the reason! Financially, you couldn’t do it, or you didn’t want to, or you didn’t consider it worthwhile.to compete with Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United. Each of them won the title… also you didn’t manage to beat Leicester, while from the doctrine you don’t We need transfers in January, you gave City a whole championship as a gift, because the same starting lineup has been playing since March….two years ago. It doesn’t matter, we need them now too. the money of a profitable business, the best of all, must go into the owner’s account. This is always the reason and not that it is not necessary …. Unless the desire is not taken into account of the fans. That is, why do the other teams that want a championship always think it’s necessary? Don’t these teams have expenses? What kind of owners do they have anyway? Is Arteta an idiot?I don’t think so. He’s just holding the same line because he can’t go against it.Anyway, I’m obviously tired, but every year they confirm what I believe and I don’t like this at all. What I have believed for many years is that it will be a great happiness if I see the championship again.in this life, just like football has now with these financial figures. Well, 21 years have passed… and this rule is confirmed that without money you can no longer build a team for titles.You want almost two equal lineups.
Who here would take Mateta from Palace? I think he’s a really good player and with his size he would be a proper threat in this team and would be a good alternative to Havertz.
I would
I think we have to look at it not that we can get a world class striker but someone better then what we have ?
I think we should probably all just accept the increasing likelihood that the same squad will finish the season now. Very poor behaviour from Arteta and the board. Coveting players who have either turned us down or we have no chance of getting whilst ignoring players who would like to play for the club but for whatever reason Arteta isn’t hung up on.
I do not understand this obsession with Sesko. Yes, he looks decent and has shown some good touches but his scoring record this season is almost identical to Havertz whilst playing in Germany! This does not demonstrate that he would be able to thrive in the Premier League.
Look at strikers that have come from the Bundesliga to England. Haaland, Aubameyang to name 2. Both scored heavily in Germany and then were able to replicate that in the Premier League. If a striker is just scoring an ‘ok’ amount in Germany then why on earth are we putting all our eggs in that basket? At least get David from Lille who is outscoring all of them.
Typical Arteta to put in a bid for Ollie Watkins after Villa have already accepted a bid for Jhon Duran. It’s almost as if he can tell the fans he tried to sign a striker when he knows full well that offer is going to be rejected.
Cynical interpretation perhaps but I think it’s a stupid bid anyway. £60M for a 29 year old striker when we could get Vlahovic or Jonathan David for less!? He’s lost the plot surely.
Ben,
I totally agree. The moment I read it, I though it smacked of the same thing that happened in the Wenger era.
We’ve needed a striker for three seasons now, and why you wouldn’t put this offer in at the beginning of January is beyond me. Arteta’s constant refusal to address this glaring problem is hurting the team.
And before some fans come on saying, but he’s said they’re looking at options, remember this is the same man who not so long ago was saying the complete opposite and that we didn’t need a striker.
Don’t let the injury’s to Jesus and Saka fool you, even if they had stayed fit. The need for a striker was still there, just like it has been for the last three seasons.
Something this manager has persistently ignored.
I hope I’m wrong, but don’t be surprised to see a last minute desperate signing late on February 3rd. If I’m wrong, I’ll gladly hold my hands up. But I won’t be holding my breath as the saying goes. 🙄🤦♂️
You and I share differing opinions on Havertz’s relative worth but are in complete agreement regarding this cynical ‘offer’ from Arteta just so he can claim he tried to buy a striker.
Regardless of personal views on Havertz the very obvious need from Arsenal to bolster the attack apparent to everyone and I, for one, do not appreciate this sort of behaviour.
Watkins is a good player but at 29 represents absolutely no room for growth or improvement and simply a net drain on the team, when other better options exist.
Ben,
While I admire your stance on Havertz, and yes we’ll have to agree to disagree regarding him.
Your comment regarding other better options exist regarding Watkins, is exactly what my thoughts were and still are concerning a certain man named Havertz. 😉👍