LIVE
...

Follow us on

Transfers

Expert shocked that Arsenal didn’t sign £30m striker in the January transfer window

Add as preferred source on Google

Arsenal didn’t sign a new striker in the January transfer window, and that decision has already come back to bite the Gunners.

Indeed, Kai Havertz is now out injured for the season, and Arsenal are incredibly light at centre-forward.

At this point, Declan Rice might be Arsenal’s best striker option, and that just highlights why Arsenal should’ve signed a striker in January.

It wasn’t for a lack of trying from Arsenal in the winter transfer window though.

Indeed, Arsenal made a bid for Ollie Watkins at one point, while Arsenal made an approach for Evan Ferguson at one point last month.

Speaking on Market Madness, Tim Vickery has been discussing some of the next stars to come out of South America, and the expert says that he’s surprised that Arsenal didn’t go and sign Igor Jesus in January.

Jesus was linked to Arsenal in the winter window, but, for one reason or another, the Gunners didn’t go for the forward.

Atletico Mineiro v Botafogo: Final - Copa CONMEBOL Libertadores 2024
Photo by Martín Fonseca/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images

Tim Vickery surprised Arsenal didn’t sign Igor Jesus

Vickery spoke about Igor Jesus and his transfer plans.

The South American expert says that Jesus’ plan is to end up in the Premier League in the summer, claiming that he’s surprised that Arsenal didn’t get him last month.

Jesus has been valued at £30m.

“Igor Jesus, Brazil’s centre forward at Botafogo. The idea, I think, after the Club World Cup is Premier League. I was surprised that Arsenal didn’t bite during the January window,” Tim Vickery said.

Igor Jesus stats in Brazil

Vickery says he’s surprised that Arsenal didn’t go for Jesus, but, when you look at the player’s stats, his numbers are hardly befitting of an Arsenal number nine.

Indeed, Arsenal need a player who knows where the back of the net is, and, sadly, Jesus isn’t that player.

His stats during his time in Brazil really don’t look all that promising.

Igor Jesus stats for Brazilian clubs
Games85
Goals14
Assists7

Of course, there’s more to being a striker than scoring goals, and the fact that Jesus has four Brazil caps would indicate he’s doing something right.

However, signings directly from Brazil are risky at the best of times, and at a moment when Arsenal needed a guaranteed source of goals, bringing in an unproven player who isn’t scoring at the moment would have been a questionable move.

Arsenal may have made the right decision when swerving a move for Jesus in the January window.