Ian Wright says two Arsenal players have told manager Mikel Arteta to sign an ‘exciting’ Premier League star in the summer transfer window.
The Gunners are set to miss out on the top-flight title for the third season in a row this term after falling short to Manchester City in 2023 and 2024.
Premier League leaders Liverpool currently have a 13-point lead over Arsenal this time around – with just six games to go – ahead of what could be a third successive second-placed finish under Arteta.
In order to close the gap to their Premier League rivals, Arsenal have been urged to strengthen their squad in the upcoming summer transfer window.
Many feel that Arsenal need a new world-class striker with Newcastle United superstar Alexander Isak thought to be at the top of their wishlist.
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Bringing Isak to the Emirates is no easy task, though, with Newcastle under no pressure to sell and demanding around £150m to let him go.
But Wright is convinced that Arsenal’s defensive duo William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes have told Arteta to do whatever he can to sign Isak.
Speaking on The Kelly and Wrighty Show, the former Arsenal striker and football pundit said: ‘Watching [Isak] against Saliba and Gabriel [earlier this season] was torture.
‘He gave them a torrid time because they didn’t know he could pick the ball up and run at them, he could back into them, and people can run off of him, and he can link the play, he can run beyond them and score.
‘I remember Alan [Shearer] and I were texting afterwards about how watching a centre forward like this is very exciting because you don’t see it, especially against the top defenders in the league.
‘You don’t see them get run around. You don’t see them get run ragged.
‘To watch my two centre-halves get run ragged like that is the reason why he’s probably linked with us, because there is no way Saliba and Gabriel are not saying to Mikel ‘we’ve got to go and get that guy’.
‘When you’ve got someone like him, he can do everything. He’s not needing anyone in particular to play off him.
‘He’s got a decent midfield to play off him, wingers who look to put the ball in the box because he’s got a great header as well.
‘He can fit into most systems, and you would probably change the system a bit for him.’
Newcastle have beaten Arsenal three times this season – once in the top-flight and twice in both legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final clash.
Isak scored in two of those three matches, showing the north Londoners exactly what they are missing in attack this season.
The 25-year-old Sweden international has been in fine form this term, conjuring up 20 Premier League goals across 28 top-flight games.