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Emmanuel Petit has advised Arsenal to break the bank on two attackers who could emulate Erling Haaland, but told the Gunners to avoid Alexander Isak.
Arsenal are reported to be on the hunt for a new striker who could guarantee plenty of goals, especially with repeated injuries to forward Gabriel Jesus. They have been linked with several potential targets including Brentford’s Ivan Toney, Newcastle United’s Isak and a host of other burgeoning names in European football.
Petit believes that Toney and Athletic Club’s Nico Williams’ should fit Mikel Arteta’s system seamlessly and has urged the north London outfit to sign the two strikers.
“I really like Nico Williams and could play up front for Arsenal,” he told Genting Casino. “He’s very fast, can be an independent goalscorer and combines with teammates. A lot of people said signing Haaland for Man City was a mistake, but the way they control the ball in the opponent’s half, they can create lots of chances for him.
“Arsenal need a 20-goals-per-season striker, they currently have a few players who can score 10-15 goals per season, like how Man City used to be. Pep Guardiola changed the system because he knew he needed a striker who could score lots of goals. In Erling Haaland’s first season, he broke goal-scoring records and won the Champions League. Mikel Arteta will follow the steps of Guardiola, the way their teams play and a striker would be a cherry on top of the cake. I think Nico Williams or Ivan Toney could score as many goals as Haaland does for Man City at Arsenal”
Isak has garnered significant interest from Arsenal, who joined the Magpies for a club-record fee of around £59 million ($69m) in 2022. The Swedish striker has notched up 15 goals in 23 Premier League appearances which has swelled his market value to a reported £100m ($126m) but Petit believes that the player is not worth the price tag.
“I don’t think it would be a good decision by Arsenal to buy Isak for a big price,” Petit said. “Arsenal’s transfer policy is very good, and they should keep their policy rather than fund clubs like Chelsea, Newcastle or those kinds of clubs. Arsenal shouldn’t splash their money like that. Isak would be a good addition to the squad, but there are players outside of England that could have the same impact.”
Eddie Howe has admitted that it might be a “difficult summer” for the club as Isak and Bruno Guimaraes might be shipped off amid interest from several European elites. It remains to be seen if Arsenal choose to put their money on the forward despite the warnings or shift their focus to Toney and other targets.
