Arsenal told £60m transfer target isn’t ‘ready’ to be club’s main striker

Arsenal hero Emmanuel Petit says Eintracht Frankfurt striker Hugo Ekitike is ‘not ready’ to be Mikel Arteta’s ‘main man’ next season.

The Gunners find themselves 11 points adrift of Premier League leaders Liverpool with seven games remaining of the top-flight campaign and the club’s drop-off has largely been attributed to Mikel Arteta’s lack of firepower up front.

There had already been pressure on Arsenal’s hierarchy to bring in attacking reinforcements last summer and season-ending injuries to both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have only intensified these calls amongst the fanbase.

The likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko and Alvaro Morata were linked with moves to north London across the winter, but the transfer deadline came and went without Arsenal making a single first-team addition.

Arteta went on to admit that he was ‘disappointed’ by Arsenal’s inactivity in the January market and club bosses are determined not to repeat the same mistake when the summer transfer window opens for business.

Alexander Isak is believed to be Arteta’s number one target but Arsenal may be forced to explore other avenues, with Newcastle demanding in excess of £160million for their prized possession.

Frankfurt forward Ekitike has emerged as a possible alternative in recent days – with Arsenal reportedly making enquiries for the 22-year-old Frenchman – and it’s understood a deal could be reached for a fee in the region of £60m.

But ex-Arsenal midfielder Petit is yet to be fully convinced by his fellow countryman Ekitike and hopes his former club look to a more proven marksman this summer.

‘Honestly, I’ve seen him playing for Paris Saint-Germain. He was a little bit too young to play for a huge club like Paris Saint-Germain,’ Petit told Poker Firma.

‘Now he’s having a good time in Germany with Eintracht Frankfurt. I think it’s probably too soon for him to come to a top, top club like Arsenal or Liverpool.

‘I’m not sure if he’s ready to be the main man at a club chasing a Premier League title.’

According to Petit, Ekitike may also struggle with the ‘burden’ of leading the line at a club lower down in the Premier League table, such as Newcastle or Manchester United.

‘Could he be a good replacement for Isak if Newcastle let him go? Possibly, but it’s still a huge amount of pressure to replace a player like that,’ he added.

‘It’s a similar situation with Manchester United. Can he carry the burden of scoring the goals for that club at his age?’

Ekitike has racked up 13 goals and four assists for Frankfurt in the Bundesliga this season, with the club sitting third in the German top flight.

The former PSG man has also shone in the Europa League, notching three goals and three assists, to help Frankfurt set up a place in the quarter-finals against Tottenham.

His current contract at the Waldstadion runs through to the summer of 2029.

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