Arsenal, according to Robbie Savage, cannot go wrong with a move for one of Dusan Vlahovic, Victor Osimhen, or Ivan Toney.
In an interview with Teamtalk, the Manchester United icon claims Arsenal must spend big money on a striker if they want to win the league in 2023–24, as their center forwards, Nketiah and Jesus, just aren’t good enough.
To back up Savage’s assertion, one could say that Arsenal’s top opponents, Manchester City and Liverpool, have reliable goal suppliers. While City has Erling Haaland (14 goals in 13 games), the Reds have Mohammed Salah (ten goals in 13 games).
“From the Premier League, you’re looking at [Ivan] Toney from Brentford, and beyond that, [Dusan] Vlahovic of Juventus and [Victor] Osimhen from Napoli,” Savage told TEAMtalk.
“Arsenal need to be looking at the three of them and saying, ‘Do you know what? If we add one of those to our team, they can add another 20 goals-plus to our side over a season’. It could make all the difference.
“Those three, I think, can do that [for Arsenal]. Toney’s proven he can do that for Brentford and is a low-risk signing for me as he can already do it in the Premier League.
“Vlahovic and Osimhen, they’re two other proven options — what a player Osimhen is, by the way! — and if I were at Arsenal in charge of their transfers, those are the three names I’d be giving to the board.”
On whether a January deal is possible for any, Savage replied, “It’ll be hard, but I’d be pushing the club to get one of them in.
“Edu needs to challenge the club to try get one of them in and whether such a deal in January is possible.
“Yes, January might be a tough ask, but looking ahead to the summer, I think those three names are the players they need to target for next season and beyond.
“I do think Arsenal have two very good centre forwards in Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but I just think a new striker to add to that competition, and one who can get a guaranteed 20 to 25 goals a season, would make all the difference to them.”
What Savage says is really a reiteration of what we’ve been hearing week after week. It will be intriguing to watch who Mikel Arteta signs. Fortunately, I believe that any of the three will be successful at the Emirates.
Daniel O
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The insightful Robbie Savage, parroting all the rest of the so called experts.
Vlahovic is currently Juventus’s main CF. I don’t think Juventus will sell their most productive CF and rely on the barren Kean/ Milik
Osimhen’s contract will expire in 2025, so Arsenal could sign him if they sell some of their senior players first to comply to FFP
Toney was charged with hundreds of gambling violations and bet against his club. I don’t think Arsenal would like to be associated with a troublemaker
If Toney completes his ban I don’t see him lacking value. He remains Arsenal’s biggest possibility in my opinion. Victor Boneyface and Stuggart lanky prolific scorer are options.
Having another option in the striker position is a good thing for Arsenal. We see more teams playing the low block 11 men behind the ball strategy against us.
Instead of having a plan B striker (size, strength, aerial prowess and holdup play) Arteta has reinvented our attack, basing it on possession and slow, patient build up play.
Hopefully we bring in another striker to add a different facet to our attack, we have to wait and see in January and Summer windows.
In the sky we are looking for them, on the earth they are….a player who passed in a bad moon from the club, was sold for a little money….he played in a team that is mainly fighting relegation, and I was Always one of the distinguished Strong, very fast, great craftsman, but in the wrong team. And this year he went again to a small and medium team, however he is always distinguished. Yes, he is Alex Iwobi, who He does everything very well and it pays off. He is at his best and I think all he needs is a transfer to a team that stars, and has the right teammates. at Arsenal.everyone is talking about stand out players and still blind,the point is to stand out someone who is in a mediocre team.I would like Alex Igwobi back,and they don’t need a lot of money.
I would say: save all that money for a “top striker” and play Havertz in that position.
We need to invest heavily in the midfield area with the likes of Elneny, Partey and Jorginho not billed to outlive next summer as Arsenal players.
Even Emile Smith-Rowe who had shown so much early promise is now raising more questions than answers about his Arsenal future.
I stand to be corrected, but Havetz’s best outings in an Arsenal shirt, for me, have been the two games against City when he played upfront. Both games ( the Community Shield and the PL game at the Emirates) ended in victories for us. And I thought Havertz did well and played a key part in those victories.
i agree
top strikers are a rarity, and way over priced for the risk
the only guaranteed goals strikers are Haarland, Kane and Mbappe – we have no chance for any
the second rung, and very distant second rung, are no where near, Toney, Vlorhic, Watkins, Osiman have a purple patch every now and then but are not prolific elite strikers bankers for 30 goals a season
and they will cost +£100m
look at Nunez (£89m) and Hojlund (£72m), for that money you can rightly expect instant season turning goals not 2 seasons settling in fingers crossed they come good
strikers are historically very bad value for money, Lukaku anybody…
before Haarland a so called ‘top striker’ has not decided the league in 10 years or more, Salah is a winger btw
Arsenal are well equipped to score goals from all over the pitch and well balanced, an old school average target man is a thing of the past (except Haarland and Mbappe, which I would have at Arsenal any day of the week – but massive downgrades like Toney can not be uttered in the same sentence)
Again the obvious has been stated through this article and if Arteta is a wise man let him heed to this all important call to get into the mix of this season’s title chase. The completion of any of the listed potential January transfers guarantees 90 to 100 percent chance of securing the EPL title. Guardiola in the secret of his heart knows that could just be it for Arsenal but would be hoping Arsenal will not heed this call. My take… ARSENAL SHOULD GO FOR BROKE AND BREAK THE BANK make this all important transfer and the title is ours… Because am thinking why wait till summer window when the opportunity is wide open now. HIT THE BULL’S EYE ARSENAL, I tell you, otherwise no chance ✖️
The pundit is right Oshien and Vlohovic are classic phase five materials
As Arteta has wasted so much money. Looks like for now player like Santiago Giménez will work. He can develop.
Savage, while plainly not wrong in what he said, does lack any real insight in his football statements, as I have so often noted with a certain frustration, over the years.
It Is TIRESOME, when certain well known names who are ex players , so clearly lack any deeper thinking ability when in TV or radio studios, or as analysts, and get their jobs simply because they once played top level football.
To my mind THAT, BY ITSELF, is insufficient qualification to be a good enough pundit or analyist.
I wouldnt mind so much, if only they could find ANYTHING AT ALL, apart from the bl….ng OBVIOUS, to spout.