Thierry Henrys 24 million-euro move to Barcelona has left Arsenal with plenty of money but not many players to spend it on.
The Gunners need a 25-goals-a-season striker who can exploit the entertaining passing football which regularly gets them to their opponents penalty area — and no further.
The problem is a shortage of top-quality strikers up for grabs.
Barca have made it clear they want to keep Samuel Etoo, Juventus have re-signed David Trezeguet on a new contract, Real Madrid are very unlikely to part with former Manchester United hitman Ruud van Nistelrooy and Bayern Munich have just snapped up World Cup top scorer Miroslav Klose.
Frederic Kanoute wants to stay in Seville for another two years, while West Hams Carlos Tevez, who would not be a straight replacement anyway, is more likely to end up in Spain or Italy than stay in the Premier League.
Roma fans would sell the Coliseum before parting with their captain and Europes leading league scorer for 2006-07, Francesco Totti. In any case, Totti would not have won any friends by saying last season: I don’t like English football and I don’t like England either because of the weather.
Arsenal have been linked with two players, their former French striker Nicolas Anelka, who made a lucrative but unpopular move to Real Madrid in 1999, and Newcastle Uniteds injury-prone Michael Owen.
Anelka, currently at Bolton Wanderers, would not be welcomed back by all of the fans, while Owen has only managed 14 games for Newcastle over the last two years.
Two other options are Atletico Madrids Fernando Torres and Valencias David Villa. However, Torres has had a modest record over the last season or two and would still cost an extravagant amount of money, as would Villa.
Spain has also been a mixed hunting ground for Arsenal. Midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been a spectacular success, but Jose Antonio Reyes has been a flop and was packed off to Real Madrid last season on loan.
Is Owen the best bet of the bunch? Or does Arsene Wenger have his eye on a surprise package?
Trevor Huggins, London
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9 comments so far
Owen too injury prone and surely he’s not going to sign another expensive Spaniard after Reyes. Tevez, Martins or why not Cisse?
- Posted by LondonI haven’t heard Theo Walcott mentioned much in the last couple of days. Henry and Anelka were young, largely unproven Arsenal strikers once….
- Posted by Mark MeadowsSpeaking of the Klose move to Bayern, it would be no big surprise now if Roy Makaay were to become available. He might not cost much and could be a good alternative for someone (not necessarily Arsenal) at least short term.
- Posted by Kevanelka is the most realistic target for now. he’s fast, deadly and familiar with english football. cisse is also good but will benitez sell him to a rival club? i don’t think so..
- Posted by footballwijaa.blogspot.comOne answer to all your troubles ……… Raul!
- Posted by ElenaThat’s a fair shout in fact, Elena. Not for Arsenal, but for Man Utd. Ferguson has always been a big fan. I wonder if now might be the time… Think footballwijaa is right about Arsenal, though. Anelka looks the man most likely.
- Posted by kevin fylanTop striker targets for English clubs:
- Posted by rafa1. Tevez
2. Torres
3. Er…
42. Anelka
856. Raul
It’ll be interesting to see if Liverpool will let Crouch go. He only played 19 games last season but still managed to score 8 times. Under played and undervalues imho.
- Posted by JimCrouch certainly should have played more of the European Cup final. What a missed opportunity to play the one forward the Milan defenders didn’t fancy.
- Posted by redderthanever