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Emmanuel Petit suggests that Arsenal should reconsider their interest in Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak during the January transfer window and has advised Mikel Arteta to explore alternative options outside of the Premier League.
Former Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Petit has advised Arsenal to forget about signing Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak in the upcoming January transfer window. Petit believes that the Gunners should instead focus on targeting players outside of the Premier League to bolster their squad.
Isak, who Newcastle signed for £60 million from Real Sociedad, has been in excellent form, scoring seven goals in his last six appearances. However, Arsenal’s interest in the Swedish striker faces a significant hurdle as Newcastle manager Eddie Howe has stated that the club intends to keep Isak at St James’ Park.
Petit, speaking after Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Ipswich, emphasized the need for Arsenal to cast a wider net in their search for a new attacker. “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?” Petit told Premier League Productions.
The former Gunner also highlighted the importance of bringing in quality players to compete with top teams like Liverpool, which he believes have a stronger squad. “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,” Petit added.
Petit’s comments come at a time when Arsenal is dealing with the absence of Bukayo Saka, who underwent surgery on his hamstring injury. This further underscores the need for Arsenal to find suitable reinforcements during the transfer window.
While some, like former Tottenham striker Darren Bent, believe Arsenal needs a versatile forward who can play multiple positions, Petit is adamant that the club should look beyond the Premier League for solutions.
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