Noel Whelan believes Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s qualities could be perfect for Arsenal if the English striker leaves Everton due to a lack of progress.
Arsenal are looking to sign a new striker in the upcoming transfer windows. It is unclear whether they are accelerating their chase to bring in a new frontman in the January window. Still, Mikel Arteta is surely on the case of freshening up his attacking options, waiting for opportunity to present itself.
Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract in the summer, while Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has certainly lost his instinct, as seen in his form in recent weeks. The Gunners lack a potent forward who excels in multiple roles, with the current crop being very role-specific strikers.
Much of the goalscoring burden has fallen on the young shoulders of Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka so far this season. Aubameyang’s profligacy is beginning to cost the Gunners, leaving Arteta in search of a striker in the mould of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who is linked with a big move to the Emirates.
The Everton ace will certainly cost money, despite having missed most of the current campaign with a broken toe. The Toffees exposed Arsenal’s problems in their recent meeting, where it became abundantly clear that the north Londoners need a new frontman sooner rather than later.
Noel Whelan believes, Calvert-Lewin might be the perfect option to solve the issues at Arsenal and told Football Insider the striker might force a move away from Everton if their situation remained unchanged. The Toffees, until Monday, were on an eight-game winless streak, and their problems are far from over.
Whelan said, “Yeah. I think at Arsenal, gradually, you can see it coming together. Despite the recent defeats, I felt they were really in the game. There wasn’t much between the two sides. What they were lacking was that little bit of quality through the middle. That goalscorer that can make things happen when crosses are coming in from wide areas.”
“We know for a fact he’s one of those players. He can hold the ball up, bring people into play, he’s got pace, he’s good in the air. He is a lot more potent in front of goal now. That is a credit to Everton and Duncan Ferguson. They’ve been working with him inside that six-yard box and being in the right areas at the right time.”
“It will need to be a substantial amount of money for them to put down Calvert-Lewin. They’re going to have to pay over the odds for him. But if they’re desperate for that player, and they feel that he can kick them on to the Champions League spots, then he’s worth the money. Everton will be very reluctant to sell.”
There have been suggestions that Everton could demand £60 million to part with Calvert-Lewin, so there is every indication that the Toffees will make it difficult for Arsenal to sign him. However, it remains to be seen if the Gunners push to land the English international in the summer.
