IAN WRIGHT NAMES THE PLAYER MIKEL ARTETA WILL CONVINCE TO JOIN ARSENAL

IMAGE CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has identified the Premier League striker he believes Mikel Arteta must convince to join the club this summer.

The North London club is currently without a recognised centre-forward after season-ending injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz. To compound their woes, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have also been sidelined with long-term injuries, leaving Arsenal short of attacking options at a crucial stage of the campaign.

In response to the crisis, Arteta has been forced to improvise, deploying midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift striker in recent fixtures. The experiment initially paid off, with Merino coming off the bench to score twice in a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium. However, Arsenal have since struggled in front of goal, failing to find the net in their last two games against West Ham and Nottingham Forest.

With their attacking struggles evident, Arsenal have been linked with a summer move for Liverpool striker Alexander Isak, who has also attracted interest from Liverpool. The Swedish striker has been a key player for Newcastle since joining in 2022, playing a pivotal role in their push for a top-four finish this season. In the current campaign, he has recorded 21 goals and five assists across all competitions, making him one of the most sought-after forwards in Europe.

ALEXANDER ISAK (IMAGE CREDIT: GETTY IMAGES)

Despite interest from several top clubs, Newcastle are reportedly unwilling to part ways with their star player, regardless of their league finish. However, Wright has urged Arsenal to make a strong push for Isak, warning that if Premier League leaders Liverpool enter the race, the Gunners could miss out.

Speaking on The Overlap with Sky Bet, Wright said: “With what Alexander Isak has done and who he is, I would buy him for £120m, no danger. If we could get him, you need to chase that. I would be devastated if Arsenal weren’t in for him. I’d hate to see the scenario where it’s Liverpool or Arsenal. He would probably go to Liverpool. I’d like to think Mikel Arteta could convince him, but look at Liverpool and Arne Slot.”

He added: “Slot hasn’t even got his own players in yet. That seems like a more attractive proposition, but again, Arsenal will need to do the work. I would hate it if it was between Arsenal and Liverpool because he would probably choose Liverpool with the way things are going for Arne Slot.”

Arsenal will return to action next week as they face PSV Eindhoven in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie, hoping to rediscover their goalscoring form.