Keown warns Arsenal off £63m transfer target as he’s ‘not quick enough’
Arsenal legend Martin Keown has warned the Gunners against signing Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres as he’s “not quick enough”.
The Gunners have been having a mixed season under Mikel Arteta with north London club currently third in the Premier League, six points off leaders Liverpool, who also have a game in hand.
Arsenal‘s forwards have been criticised at times this season with Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz taking it in turns to play up front for Arteta’s men.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a number of new centre-forwards ahead of the January transfer window with many fans and pundits claiming it could be the missing piece to help Arsenal challenge for the Premier League title.
Sporting Lisbon striker Gyokeres has been particularly heavily linked to Arsenal and other Premier League sides but Keown can’t see him making the grade at the Emirates Stadium, despite his 18 goals in 14 Portuguese top-flight matches this term.
Keown told The Oxford Mail: “The players who are there at the moment need to start scoring goals fast, don’t they?
“Otherwise, Mikel [Arteta] will put his hands in his pocket and buy a forward.”
On Gyokeres, the Arsenal legend added: “[Gyokeres] is not quick enough and he wouldn’t have been quick enough in my day.”
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Gilberto Silva still thinks that Arsenal star Jesus has more potential than Havertz as a striker and wishes his compatriot hadn’t suffered with so many injuries.
Silva told bettingexpert.com: “These (Gabriel Jesus and Gabriel Martinelli) are two players who are also respected and loved by the fans. They have done an excellent job since they arrived at the club.
“Jesus has suffered a lot with injuries and that really gets in the way. You break your rhythm and you always have to start over. It’s a huge challenge for any player.
“Martinelli also suffered a little with that, I hope this year will be different. But in terms of performance, he has even been above Jesus lately.”
Silva added: “But injuries have had a big impact on Jesus’ loss of space, as he was out of action for a long time. It also opened up space for Havertz, who played in positions where Jesus would have played. He ended up doing well there.”
“However, as a nine, Jesus has the potential to do more if he’s healthy. But Havertz came in so well that many people didn’t even think about his absences.”
