Arsenal could make a shock £30 million move for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge as they look to improve their attack for the 2016/17 campaign.
Arsenal have lacked firepower up front this season, with Olivier Giroud’s inconsistency and Danny Welbeck’s issues with injury proving to be a challenge for Arsene Wenger’s men. The Gunners have used Theo Walcott up front and although the Englishman has impressed on occasion, he has struggled to put together a run of consistently good performances in the striker’s position.
Wenger has mostly rotated between Giroud and Welbeck in recent matches, but is said to be irked by the fact that Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, and West Ham have all scored more goals than the Gunners so far this season.
This has convinced the Frenchman that his side needs more quality strikers up front. Arsenal are reportedly now preparing a £30 million bid for Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge, according to a report in the Daily Mirror.
Sturridge would be a valuable addition to the Gunners’ squad as he is a home grown player who can perform at the highest levels. However, the one big downside to signing Sturridge is the former Manchester City striker’s injury record.
Big four era over, says Wenger
The Frenchman argues that with more and more broadcast money being pumped into the Premier League, even the mid-table clubs now have the power to buy quality players.
“The big question mark is what happened with Leicester can happen again because first of all every English team can buy players,” Wenger was quoted as saying by ESPN. “The difference out on the market between those who really make a difference and are just a fraction better, where players go to lower teams with a bit more spirit and a bit more fighting, bit more support and a bit less expectation.
“You’ve got West Ham moving into a new stadium with more potential with the finances that brings. Tottenham are creating a new stadium as well.”
The Premier League model is in stark contrast to the model currently in place in Germany, where the broadcast revenue is not nearly as high. Only Bayern Munich are able to compete financially with the other European giants, as their worldwide following is considerably higher than the other clubs in the country, thus earning them much more through sponsorships. This has created an imbalance of power in the Bundesliga, where Bayern Munich have reigned supreme for the last four years.
