Mikel Arteta has been warned Arsenal have already made their first transfer mistake of the summer, after allowing Liam Delap to make the move to rivals CHELSEA .
With Arsenal suffering persistent issues in their attack, often opting for Mikel Merino to hold that number nine spot because of the injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, Mikel Arteta has faced calls to add a proven goalscorer to his squad — but he failed to get a new striker in during the January window.
There has been some reports that RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is the clubs top target, and there are a few other players linked with a move to the Emirates, Liam Delap was a player that was on the radar.
But due to a reasonable release clause, CHELSEA will pay just £30m to welcome Delap to Stamford Bridge and Arsenal have been told they made a major mistake not beating their London rivals to a deal.
‘I don’t understand how Arsenal didn’t snap him up,’ ex-EFL striker Adebayo Akinfenwa told talkSPORT. ‘I don’t understand how, when you need a striker and you’re looking at the transfer market, £30m is chump change in today’s market.
‘So when you’ve got somebody who, you’re talking about potential, they’re talking about being a Harry Kane replacement for England, about a proper No.9, I don’t understand how Arsenal didn’t buy.
‘As soon as Ipswich got relegated, they should have been in there. I think it’s a no-brainer.
‘I think he’s going to do well. I really do. I remember speaking to him when he was on loan at Stoke from Man City, and even back then, his whole demeanour, his aura, he was self-assured, confident, good stature.
‘He’s got that old-school element where you know you’re in for a game when you’re up against Delap. So I think he’s going to do well.
‘I think he’s got that Diego Costa sort of vibe about him, in regards to you’re going to know he’s there. So I think it’s very, very good business. I think £30m for Delap is very good business.’
‘People talk about him being signed to be part of the squad, but I think he’s bigger than that,’ Akinfenwa added.
‘I think he’ll be thinking in his head, “I’m going to be the guy, I’m going to go and play”. He’s going to be the main man.
‘When you look at it with how many games CHELSEA are going to play, he knows he’s going to get a lot of game time and it is for him to take his opportunity.
‘And then when you’ve got the calibre of players Chelsea have, he scored goals at Ipswich but how many more goals is he going to score when he’s playing with the likes of Cole Palmer and Reece James is putting balls into the box? He and Palmer played together in the youth team at City as well.
‘I think it’s a good signing. I just don’t understand how, and I’ll say Arsenal because they’re the ones who are front runners for a striker, I don’t understand how they weren’t pushing for him.’
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