Arsenal legend Thierry Henry has revealed that former Manchester City striker Julian Alvarez is “one of his favourite” number nines when asked who the Gunners should sign this summer.
The Gunners failed once again to win a trophy this season as Mikel Arteta’s side came runners-up in the Premier League for a third campaign in a row.
Arsenal did have a good run in the Champions League with the Gunners knocking out Real Madrid before eventually losing out to Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.
The Arsenal hierarchy have been told by supporters and former players to sign a new top-class centre-forward over the last couple of years but the Gunners didn’t oblige.
And injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz at the beginning of this year really highlighted their need for a striker who can decide tight matches after Mikel Merino filled in as a makeshift forward in the final few months of the season.
There have been rumours this week that Arsenal are attempting to tie up a deal for Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres with their directors flying out to Portugal.
READ: Ranking Andrea Berta’s 12 forward targets by chance of them joining Arsenal this summer
Speaking on The Overlap’s Stick to Football, Arsenal legend Henry once again reinforced their need for a number nine, he said: “When you look at the injuries and you look at the players who came, he brought players.
“He got [Raheem] Sterling when everyone wanted a nine. He had time to get a nine, he had time. I’m not the coach, I don’t know the discussion.
“Everyone has been screaming or a nine, apart from when we win by the way! Because when we beat Real Madrid, we don’t need a nine.
“You do need a nine. I don’t understand the change… people change the way they talk. We need a nine when we’re not scoring and then suddenly we go on a run and nobody mentions that we need a nine.
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“But you need a nine, for me, and a nine. We’re talking about a nine.”
Atletico Madrid striker Alvarez is another player who has been linked to Arsenal with recent rumours claiming the Gunners have been the ‘strongest bidder’ for his services.
When asked which striker could take Arsenal to the Premier League title, Henry replied: “One of my favourite nines out there at the minute is Julian Alvarez.
“We’ve been talking about it: putting pressure on, playing it long, low, whatever you want to do.
“You see the free-kick he scored the other day? He can hold the ball alone.
“He played at the Olympic Games, he played the Copa America and I don’t hear him saying he’s tired.
“The way he plays it, I just like him. But it is possible [that Arsenal can sign him]? I don’t know.”