Last season, Arsenal had Aubameyang, Lacazette, Nketiah and Balogun starting the season as recognised Number 9s, but one year on we have started the new campaign with just Eddie Nketiah and the Brazilian Gabriel Jesus competing for the centre-forward spot. It certainly hasn’t held us back though and we are clear at the top of the League, but with all our forwards and midfielders contributing to our goal tally.
But of course it is a big worry that Gabriel Jesus, after an explosive start, has not been banging in the goals as we expected him to carry on doing, and even Nketiah has been barren since getting a couple of strikes in our early Europa League games.
This is why Arsenal fans have been clamouring for Arteta and Edu to find us an out and out goalscorer to partner Jesus, who is just missing that clinical edge in front of goal.
So when i saw this headlne this morning saying Mercato Mercato – PSG: an English big gun targets Mbappé in January! I thought that maybe Arsenal had finally decided to pull out all the stops and add the one thing we need to make sure we can compete on level terms with the biggest clubs in Europe.
According to topmercato, the “English big gun” is Liverpool, with the rumours that they are joining Man United in trying to tempt Mbappe to move to the Premier League, but in my opinion, the only ‘Big Guns’ in the Premier League right now are Arsenal and Manchester City, with Liverpool and Man United looking like spent forces. I can think of no reason why he would choose to go to Liverpool or Man United if Arsenal were to join the bidding.
It’s hard to believe that Mbappe is still only 23 years old, but has amazingly scored 19 goals in 20 games in all competitions since the season started, including 12 goals in 14 Ligue Un matches.
His age makes him perfect to join Arteta’s project, and although his price may be enormous he undoubtedly has an incredible knack of putting the ball in the back of the net, and if he can carry his goalscoring form into the Premier League, like Erling Haaland, then I can see us recouping any transfer fee we pay now, when we sell him again in three or four years time.
But just think what we will get back in return, in the form of trophies and prestige galore. With Mbappe we would even challenge for the Champions League next season….