Alan Shearer warns Arsenal they are ‘going to get fleeced’ in striker transfer chase

Arsenal have made signing a striker their top target for the summer transfer window, but Alan Shearer has sounded a word of warning to the Gunners about their pursuit of a forward

Alan Shearer has warned Arsenal they will get ‘fleeced’ in the summer transfer window as they search for a new striker.

The Gunners’ season has been derailed by injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz, with the club opting against bringing in a new forward in January. That decision has come back to bite them badly, with their title hopes dashed by a defeat to West Ham and a draw at Nottingham Forest.

It appears almost certain that Arsenal will look to sign a new striker in the summer window. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is Mikel Arteta’s top target, while Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko have also been linked with a move to the Emirates.

But Shearer has now warned them that whoever they go for, the selling club will be able to charge a huge fee. The Newcastle legend believes that the obvious need for a new forward has put the Gunners at a disadvantage.

“Is Mikel Arteta under a bit of pressure now? Name me a Premier League manager not under pressure! But you have to say so with what Arsenal have spent and how close they have gone in title races,” Shearer told Betfair.

“There’s no doubt that he’s a very talented manager and I don’t think that he’s under any pressure between now and the end of the season. But I would guess that between now and the beginning of next season that they’ll have to bring players in.

“How many additions required is the question, but one thing is for certain that they have to bring a centre-forward in of world class quality and there’s not many of those around. Whoever they go for, they’re going to get fleeced, because everyone knows they’re desperate for a striker.”

Shearer believes that Arsenal’s failed title race can be pinned on the failure to bring in a striker. He insisted that the decision had proven to be a ‘huge error’ from the North London side.

“About a month ago, maybe three weeks ago there was a glimmer of hope for Arsenal, that if they went on a winning run then it might put a little bit of pressure on Liverpool, but they just couldn’t do it,” he added.

“I know they’ve got injuries, but I go back to the first week of the season, where I said that if Arsenal bought a striker then I’d fancy them to win the league and if not then I didn’t think they’d do it.

“Ultimately, injuries and a lack of striker has cost Arsenal, and that’s the reason why when push came to shove, they haven’t had enough. Only one shot on target against Nottingham Forest, from a set-piece, has shone a light on that.

“Either they couldn’t get a striker in, or Mikel Arteta didn’t want one, but whatever way around it’s clear to see that Arsenal have made a huge error in that position.”

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