Arsene Wenger has confirmed that Olivier Giroud will be the club’s first-choice striker come the start of next season.
Gunners fans have been longing for a top striker to join the club in recent seasons, but the only arrival to challenge up front has been Danny Welbeck, who has just been ruled out for the next nine months.
The former Man United forward joined in September 2014, but has already succumbed to three injuries spanning a minimum of two months each, and is yet to fulfil his full potential. Welbeck did hit the ground running on returning from his last injury, but his recent absence has confirmed that he suffers from the Arsenal injury curse, proving that more options are needed.
Me, along with many other fans, had been hopeful of at least one of Theo Walcott and Olivier Giroud would be leaving the club, with a big-named striker coming into the fold, but the Arsenal manager’s recent comments have poured water on the idea, in the case of the latter at least.
When asked if Giroud would start next season as Arsenal’s No 1 striker, Wenger said: “Yes.
“I believe that Danny Welbeck being out now for a long, long time we will be on the road to look for one more striker.
“After that it’s down to compete. Olivier has strong and weak moments so we have to deal with that.
“He is a bit unbelievable – he is in cycles. He scores in spells and then sometimes he scores less.”
I’m hoping that I’m reading this wrong, and Wenger is telling us he will sign a new star, who will challenge Giroud for a starting role, but unfortunately we know the thinking that goes on behind the scenes, and a potential new star will come in with the hope of becoming a top striker…
Please tell me I’m wrong… And Wenger is just keeping his cards close to his chest like he usually does? Is he trying to put us off the scent, or is he preparing us JUST IN CASE he cant persuade a proven goalscorer to come?