Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has shocked fans of the club by revealing that he will not be signing a striker in January once the transfer window opens up.
The Gunners have been relying on Olivier Giroud as their only option all season, unless they want to use Nicklas Bendtner of course, and some of his team-mates are suggesting that the French striker is starting to feel fatigued.
However, with both Theo Walcott and Lukas Podolski returning from injury, Wenger believes he will have enough options for strikers which will mean he won’t have to buy on in the new year.
“Theo gives us qualities that other players haven’t got,” said Wenger, in reference to the raw pace that he brings. “It’s a different option. It gives us options to score, to go behind to create space in the middle. We have missed that, maybe, but we have not done too badly. Podolski also shouldn’t be too far now.”
“Look I am not against it,” he said. “I don’t say I never make a mistake – I certainly made some. It is always difficult in the middle of the season. If somebody is doing well somewhere the clubs do not necessarily want to sell him. They can wait until the end of the season. Most of the time it is because we didn’t find the right player.”
“If we lose Giroud we have nobody with body weight up front apart from Bendtner. I think he has the level but at the moment he doesn’t get enough games. And as well, in his head, is he here? Has he planned to go?” said Wenger. Bendtner would not be allowed to leave in January unless an alternative physically-imposing forward comes in.
Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles
