Alexander Isak has been in excellent form for Newcastle United (Shutterstock)
Emmanuel Petit has told Arsenal to forget about signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak in the January transfer window and has urged Mikel Arteta to target players outside of the Premier League.
Isak, a £60 million signing from Real Sociedad, has been in sublime form for Newcastle in recent weeks, scoring seven goals in his last six appearances for Newcastle.
Arsenal hold an interest in signing Isak, however, Eddie Howe has been adamant that Newcastle intend to keep the Sweden international at St James’ Park.
And former Arsenal midfielder Petit believes the Gunners need to cast a wider net in their search for a new attacker to sign in the upcoming transfer window.
‘Maybe they can sign players in the transfer window,’ Petit told Premier League Productions after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Ipswich on Friday night.
‘It’s very hard, as Guardiola said, to get top players at this moment but you never know, there are some players available, actually, outside England, so maybe, why not?
Arsenal will be without Bukayo Saka for an extended period after he underwent surgery on his hamstring injury (Shutterstock)
‘Someone up front but I think they need quality players, when I look at the squad at Liverpool they look so strong, especially up front, they have so many talents, so many options, and the spine of the team has been playing for ages altogether.
They look so happy to play together, the joy they bring on the pitch, I watched the game against [Leicester] when they conceded the first goal and won 3-1, it was lovely to watch them, the joy they have, the link between the players, I look at the squad and look at the bench, for me there is a difference with Arsenal.’
Meanwhile, former Tottenham, Sunderland, Aston Villa and England striker Darren Bent, believes Arsenal need to recruit a forward player who offers more versatility than a conventional striker.
‘I that that’s what’s going to be the problem – what centre forward do you get? Everyone likes Isak, he seems like the natural fit,’ said Bent.
‘I can’t see it, they’re not going to get him from Newcastle.’
Petit interjected: ‘No, forget it.’
Bent added: ‘So I think now of a sudden you’re looking around to see who’s going to be perfect.
‘You might have to find someone who is a little bit more versatile, that can play centre forward, can play left, can play right, just to add goals.
‘But I think if you’re quite narrow-minded and go, ‘right, we want one centre forward for this position’, how many are out there? How many of those type of centre forwards can you got and get? Realistically, probably none of them.
‘So that’s maybe where you have to be a little bit more cuter in your scouting network, have a look in different markets.
‘I don’t think it’s as simple as just going, ‘Arsenal need a centre forward and that’s it’, I think they need more options in those top three positions at the top end of the pitch.’
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