According to his agent Michael Manuello, Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud is unlikely to leave North London this summer.
Arsenal have been linked with Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain and Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, but Manuello believes any incoming striker would be a replacement for the injured Danny Welbeck, not for Giroud.
Manuello told the London’s Evening Standard:
“Everything I’ve read on Giroud is not true. I personally have only said that if Arsenal want to sell, then we will see.”
“I do not know where [the Napoli story] came from. We never talked to Naples and there are no other persons appointed over me that can do this. We need to clarify this.
“You always need two strikers and Welbeck is out for nine months, unfortunately.
But if you play in a great team, it is natural that we could face strong competition.”
Not buying Manuello’s thinking that it is Welbeck’s position in the Arsenal line-up that is under threat and not that of his client.
It is clear that the Gunners need a top striker, to at least compete with Giroud if not replace him. Welbeck is always injured and cannot be trusted to stay fight, while Theo Walcott has failed to develop further than someone who has speed.
They already have Alexis Sanchez, but he is not a target man in the Premier League. He needs to play off a target man instead of being the target man.
But as always the issue is going to be whether Arsene Wenger is willing to pay £50m or £60m for a striker? He has had opportunities over the past couple of years to sign a top striker, but he could never pull the trigger as the market pressures pushed the price higher. Will he repeat that same mistake again this summer?
Arsenal begin the new season in a little less than a month on 14 August at home to Liverpool. Will Olivier Giroud be in the Gunners starting XI or will a new signing be playing at center forward for the Arsenal?
