Arsenal told to sign three strikers instead of ‘unconvincing’ Viktor Gyokeres
The Gunners have stepped up their interest in the Sporting Lisbon striker.
Ally McCoist has named three strikers Arsenal should sign ahead of Viktor Gyokeres after the Sporting Lisbon star became a top transfer target for the Gunners.
It was recently reported that Arsenal had stepped up their interest in Gyokeres who has long been admired by the club’s new sporting director Andrea Berta.
The Swede has recorded a staggering 85 goals and 26 assists in 92 games over the past two seasons and has also been linked with Manchester United and a reunion with ex-Sporting boss Ruben Amorim.
Alexander Isak has long been Mikel Arteta’s No.1 target but a transfer for the Newcastle striker is proving to be far too expensive, while Gyokeres could be available for a more realistic £63million this summer.
However, speaking on talkSPORT, McCoist was ‘not convinced’ by the 26-year-old who made no impact during his previous spell in the Premier League with Brighton and named some alternative options for Arsenal.
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The Scotland legend said: ‘I probably haven’t seen enough of him to be brutally honest. I’ve seen him a good few times and I watch highlights. I know he got a couple of penalties on the weekend in a 3-0 victory.
‘The times I have seen him he has been good, I’ve enjoyed his performances and his stats are very good. 15 in 26 for Sweden, 30 this season for Sporting Lisbon and he was excellent against Manchester City [in the Champions League] which would suggest that playing against top clubs over here wouldn’t be too much of a problem.
‘But there are probably one or two I’d take before him. Isak but you’re not going to get him.
‘[Victor] Osimhen’s another one. He hasn’t reached the form he had perhaps 18 months ago when he was absolutely flying but I just think if you can get him hungry…
‘That’s not to say he [Gyokeres] couldn’t come back here and prove me wrong. He’s absolutely miles better than what Arsenal have got.’
Osimhen has scored 26 goals in 30 games at Galatasaray and is expected to leave parent club Napoli this summer having been long linked with Chelsea and Man Utd.
Put to him that Arsenal should sign a striker with Premier League experience like Crystal Palace’s Jean-Philippe Mateta, McCoist added: ‘He’s been brilliant, particularly since [Oliver] Glasner’s taken over that club he scored 25 in 40.
‘He’s a different proposition even to somebody like [Erling] Haaland who perhaps doesn’t lead the line as well as an Isak or a Mateta. Maybe Mateta’s not going to get as many goals as Haaland but we don’t know because he’s not playing in a team that’s creating as many chances as City.
‘Is he worth a gamble perhaps more than Gyokeres? Yeah, because doing it in the Premier League [already] is ticking a massive box straight away.’
Mateta, who recently returned to action after receiving 25 stitches to his left ear following a horror challenge in the FA Cup, is valued at around £50m but Palace do not wish to sell him.
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