YES! Wenger has listened to HH and he is now out on the hunt for the striker that Arsenal desperately need. This is no insult to Giroud who has done well with his goalscoring, but it's time to get serious and stop the jokes. Arsenal need a BONA-FIDE STRIKING DEMONIC BEAST. That is NOT Giroud, and the shortlist Wenger has put out, IS impressive....but how much chance does he have of getting any of these guys?
The traitor...YES, the traitor, the man who has opted for SPAIN over Brazil...IS the best option on the list. Twenty one goals, in twenty one games, he is the hot striker now and is the very damn reason why Atletico are right up there with Barcelona and leaving Madrid behind. He is really a rarity in today's football in just how old-skool he is as a striker. Big, tough, strong, direct and that single-mindedness to get GOALS, that I am seeing a scarcity of right now. He is precisely what Arsenal need, but unless the Druglord Simeone is actually ON drugs when negotiating, there is no way that he will allow Costa to leave Atletico right now. They are doing well in the league, are a threat in the Champions League and neither he nor Costa will want to end this dream season so far.
Err....don't think this is someone Arsenal need. He isn't really a striker, has not had his best season thus far, and I just don't see how he would have the desired effect on the Arsenal team.
He is a talented player whose best position as as an attacking winger cutting inside, playing OFF the striker. I just don't see him as a man you can rely on to get goals come rain or sunshine. That isn't really his game, as he is more of a player who comes through midfield rather than a dude who can sleep in the penalty box and can feed off scraps and get things going. So no, this is NOT a player that Wenger should be looking at.
Lavezzi should never have gone to PSG. It was a bad move for him. Where he was one of the real star strikers with Napoli that earned him a starting spot in the Copa America, he is now a player that is forgotten. With Cavani coming in, he is now even more in the shadows.
However, this could be a signing that Arsenal have the best chance of pulling off and could work for them. Lavezzi may not be that cold-blooded striker, but he can score goals and can fit into the passing philosophy of the Arsenal team. He may play deeper which is not what Arsenal want, but if Wenger can retrain him to improve his run and really develop into a central attacker rather than a flank attacker, I think Lavezzi COULD get Arsenal the goals they need. It is a real big IF and I am not making any promises here at all. I am just saying that there is a possibility that this can yield some good results.
Lewandowksi is the striker that everyone wants. He is the main target man that most big clubs want to get their paws on. In my opinion, he is probably the most technically gifted bare-boned striker that there is. His control, footballing ability, eye for the goal, and the reason why he would be THE most perfect fit for Arsenal is the way he can link well with midfielders. Unlike Giroud, he can control ANY ball, hold it up, and lay it over for a midfielder. IF Arsenal can get him, he would be the most PERFECT player for Arsenal and I believe he would be a hit. Only issue is that he has come out and said he knows where he is going and it's to the German machine. I don't think anyone, not Wenger, can change his heart and mind from moving to the all-conquering German team.
As you can see, he is becoming a real striker for Juventus and he has a stronger desire to score than I think Giroud has, who needs really good midfielders. Llorente is a lot tougher and can get UGLY goals, which is a superbly important asset for strikers to have. He can definitely get more goals for Arsenal that Giroud would not be able to get. If you look at the goals he is getting for Juventus, especially late winners, that would be a great addition to Arsenal BUT, he is just not the right player for Arsenal. In the long run, it would end in a divorce because his footballing mentality does not mesh well in the way Ozil or Wilshere and Cazorla play.
Honestly, the BEST chance Arsenal have from this list is Lavezzi. His wage demands may be high but it is not a guarantee that he will work well. It would be a gamble, but I believe he has a lot more to offer as a striker than Giroud. He just needs a little refining to fit into the Arsenal way of playing, and it could be a REALLY good purchase. The other options are either bad choice or there is little to no chance of their clubs just letting them go.
BADA BINGO!
HH