"He's not the best finisher, I'm not bothered" - Ex-Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere urges Arteta to sign 25-year-old Premier League forward
Former Arsenal striker Jeremie Aliadiere has urged Gunners manager Mikel Arteta to sign 25-year-old Premier League forward Darwin Nunez. The Uruguayan striker currently plays for Liverpool, but Aliadiere is convinced that he could potentially make the switch to the north London and succeed.
Much ado has been made about the Gunners' strength in attack, as they have been consistently linked with signing a striker in recent transfer windows. They signed Kai Havertz in 2023, but the German forward is struggling, having scored just four goals in 11 league appearances this season.
It also doesn't help that their other striker Gabriel Jesus has not scored a single goal in nine Premier League games this season. This has increased rumors regarding Arsenal's interest in strikers like Newcastle United's Alexander Isak and Sporting CP's Victor Gyokeres.
However, Jeremie Aliadiere believes the answer to their striker concerns lies at Anfield. He said to Football365 (via football.london):
“I know he is at Liverpool but I am a massive fan of Darwin Nunez. Absolutely mad fan of the guy because I love his work ethic, his runs, his determination and I wish we had a player like him at Arsenal. I remember in the summer there were some talks about him coming to Arsenal. That excited me because I’d love to see him with us."
Aliadiere added:
“That type of player, keeps bothering defenders, making runs in behind, stretching the defence, even though it’s not for him, it’s for the team, the others get massive rewards from it.
"I know people will say he needs five chances to score sometimes, he is not the best finisher, I am not bothered about this. For me, the effort and the work rate and the drama that he causes is worth everything.”
Darwin Nunez has struggled with his finishing. He has not found it easy to impact games consistently this season, scoring just twice in eight Premier League appearances.
Arsenal may be unable to sign Gyokeres in January, as striker wants to complete season with Sporting CP
Arsenal have been linked heavily with a move for Victor Gyokeres, but they may be unable to sign him in the winter transfer window (January 2025). This is because the striker has revealed his intention to stay in Portugal until the end of the season.
Speaking while on international duty with Sweden, Gyokeres said (via football.london):
“I want to finish this season at Sporting. I love it here. New club? We will see when the time comes. I want to play, that’s crucial… and there will be also other factors.”
Despite the Gunners' interest, signing the 26-year-old striker may be easier said than done, especially with his £83 million release clause. However, the north London club will need to sort out their striker woes, sooner rather than later.