5 Strikers for Arsenal to consider

Following up from my last article, here are the 5 striker targets for Arsenal to consider this summer.

Karim Benzema


Whilst a very unlikely signing this summer, Benzema is definitely on Wenger's radar and would be a dream signing at the Emirates. The French-Algerian has been a natural goalscorer all his career and his free scoring in the French league earned him a massive transfer to Real Madrid.


Even though he's not first choice at Real he had an amazing season there, scoring 26 goals and setting up 9 assists in his 48 matches. But still Mourinho seems unconvinced. Benzema has amazing pace and at 6ft 1in is not small. He is a powerful player with excellent technique and could be a star in any team in the world. His finishing is great too. Personally I see him as the closest player to Henry at his best, and how we'd love to have a player like that at Arsenal.


Sadly, with the player wanting to fight for his place in Madrid, and Arsenal probably unwilling to splash out £25-30 million to get him, I can't see him joining us this summer.

Lukas Podolski


Podolski is another quality striker in world football. He may have drifted out to the wing in recent years, but that gives him extra versatility. He is very fast and has pin point accuracy with his finishes. At 5ft 11in he is not small either and he has the excellent determination that most German players have.


Last year he had a good season with Koln and helped them stay up in the German first division - if they had been relegated we may have been able to get him cheaply - by scoring 14 goals and getting 7 assists. He has a great tournament record with Germany and looks a world beater when he pulls on the national side's shirt. Only his love for his local side Koln keeps him away form Europe's top sides but the striker may relish one last challenge in the Premier league. 


At a reported £15 million, 26 year old Podolski represents value for money - especially in this market - and would be a great signing for Arsenal this summer.

Radamel Falcao


Falcao is in the form of his life with Porto at the moment, helping Porto break records all around Europe while winning the treble last year. Since joining Porto 2 years ago, the Colombian forward has an amazing 73 goals in 85 appearances. Amazing stat. He looks set to join one of Europe's giant clubs very soon and Arsenal should jump in to complete his transfer as soon as possible. 


At 25 years old, Falcao looks like he's about to enter his prime and get even better. He posses great pace and scores an incredible amount of headed goals, despite his average height - just 5ft 9 1/2in. Valued at 20-30 million pounds, Falcao wouldn't come cheap but if he could replicate his scoring statistics he would prove a bargain.

Hugo Rodallega


Rodallega is another Colombian striker who Arsenal have been monitoring. He has good PL experience, although has not been prolific and hasn't scored more than 10 goals in European football. He would be a good signing though. He is fast and very athletic and has saved Wigan form relegation by scoring vital goals.


The Colombian forward has scored 22 goals in his 89 Premier League matches, but that has been for a struggling Wigan side. Hugo has stated he would love to join a bigger side, and would be available for 10-13 million pounds. He would be a good addition as back up.

Peter Odemwingie


Odemwingie was linked with a 5 million pound move to Arsenal earlier in the transfer window, but no further news has emerged. The Nigerian striker shone for West Brom in his first PL season last year and his pace was very troublesome for all types of teams - Arsenal fans only need to remember the 1 point we picked up against West Brom out of 6.


The 30 year old would be the cheapest option out of the 5, but is also the oldest. But Arsenal can do with a few older players. We could complete his transfer for less that £7 million and he would be excellent back up for the injury prone Van Persie and inconsistent Chamakh. If he could replicate his 15 goals in 32 games, he would be a great signing.

Doubts over Downing

It's not been the week I thought it would be.


That's the feeling almost every Arsenal fan has had during nearly every week of the transfer window for the past 5 seasons or even more. But the fact that we still haven't made one signing - alright Gervinho will be confirmed soon and Jenkinson may play a bit this year - yet is very annoying.


Pre-season is well underway and preferably we'd like to have our squad together and gelling before we start the season. Wenger's interview wasn't the most enthusiastic one either, and he only mentioned 'one or two' good new signings.


By my calculations we need about 4 or 5 new signings if we are to make a proper challenge for the title, and maybe more if we lose players of Cesc's and Nasri's ability. He also hinted that he may not sign a replacement for Clichy, who completed his £7 million deal to Man City this week, and said that Gibbs needs a chance to progress.


That would be all well and good if Gibbs wasn't as injury prone as Van Persie and seemingly incapable of defending at times. If you compare him to Chelsea and Uniteds left backs two he comes up very short, and they are meant to be our biggest rivals.


There is some new news this week though, and today we were linked with a deal for Stuart Downing of Aston Villa. He is a good player, but not the type of big name that we are in need of and, dare I say it, not much (if at all) better than what we have.

To make things even more un-realistic, the price Villa seem to want is close to £20million. Will Wenger pay that kind of money for anyone? Let alone only a good Premier League player, who is not the world class player we need.


Overall I see the transfer as very unlikely. Perhaps more likely is a deal for Juan Mata of Valencia. The young Spaniard is very exciting and has been tracked my many of Europe's top teams for years. Apparently Valencia only want around £20million too, and with the losses of either (or both) Nasri and Cesc, we need a player like Mata.


Another player i'd love to see in an Arsenal shirt next year is Hugo Rodallega. Yesterday he revealed that we have been monitoring him, as well as other European clubs, and with the seemingly abrupt exit of Bendtner combined with the doubts over Marouane Chamakh's ability, singing Rodallega would give our strikers more strength in depth.

Rodallega has a good record and a few years Premiership Experience, he always can play as a lone striker so will know what is needed to exceed and score goals. Last year he scored 9 goals in 36 Prem appearances and the year before 10 in 38. At a club like Arsenal that could easily rise, as we lay on more chances for him.


In other news, Wellington has traveled to Valencia to secure his loan to Levante for next season. Whilst last season's 6 month spell there wasn't the most successful (he only managed 2 substitute appearances) we can be more optimistic of him gaining playing time this year, and he could be joined shortly by Pedro Botelho - who widely impressed last year.


Thats about all there is for now, till later.