2 weeks Ago By Daniel Hepburn
Arsenal ’s shortcomings in the centre-forward department have been highlighted by Mikel Arteta ’s makeshift option, Mikel Merino, leading the line for the Gunners in recent times – and Jamie Carragher has revealed that the north Londoners turned down the chance to sign an ‘unstoppable’ frontman in January. For the third Premier League season on the bounce, Arteta-led Arsenal have been there or thereabouts at the summit of the standings – but many believe that they are one goalscoring machine away from ending their 20-year title drought. Arsenal have had been able to call upon some prolific goalscorers over the years.
As mentioned, Merino – a leggy central midfielder by trade – has often been stationed in the solitary berth up top given that Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are out nursing injuries, but Arteta will be keen to sign a new striker sooner rather than later. Arsenal, to aid their quest for silverware, had the perfect opportunity in the winter to dip their toes into the market. Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak – one of the best strikers in world football – is nearing the top of their shopping list .
GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Only Manchester City (66) and Liverpool (75) have scored more than Arsenal (63) in the 2024/25 Premier League season. But on the latest Overlap episode, Carragher claimed that Arteta and his entourage were offered the services of Ollie Watkins by Unai Emery at Aston Villa , who opted to sell Jhon Duran to Al-Nassr instead. He said: “When we talk about Arsenal going for him [Ollie Watkins], someone told me Aston Villa offered him to Arsenal, I know that actually.
They didn’t offer enough money. I don’t think it was Arsenal ringing Villa saying ‘We want to sign him’. When quizzed by his partner in crime, Gary Neville , about why Arsenal didn’t break the bank to secure the English goal-getter’s signature, Carragher said: “Well, they didn’t offer enough money – whatever they offered, £50-60 million.
“But, this is the information I had. If I know that, then I’m sure his agent knows that. Villa have spent a lot of money, and they need to get something back.
In an ideal world, you probably would sell Ollie Watkins and keep Jhon Duran because he is the younger player – he is only 21.” Torquay-born, the 29-year-old, who has been described as 'unstoppable' by Carragher in the past, has notched 86 goals in 218 outings for his current employers. This season alone, he’s added a total of 16 to his ever-growing tally – which is the reliable source of goals that Arsenal could have benefitted from.
Erling Haaland, Matheus Cunha and Alexander Isak all feature as the 15 best strikers in the Premier League right now are ranked. Watkins, who moved to the Birmingham-based outfit from Brentford in the summer of 2020, recently slated Emery for his lack of game time in their two-legged meeting with Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League quarter-finals. “I played 20 minutes against PSG in both games.
I am not going to lie, I was fuming that I wasn’t playing – I let him [Unai Emery] know that. He’s the manager you have to respect his decision, [but] I am not one of these players happy to sit on the bench. “It is something I have not experienced before, to miss out on the biggest stage,” the 18-cap England international continued.
“I wanted to be out on the pitch for much longer. I have played a big part to get to where we are today, and I want to play in those games.”.
