“I would suggest that there’s already been a player bought" - Martin Keown suggests Arsenal have already completed signing in key area

Former Arsenal centre-back Martin Keown reckons the Gunners have already signed a striker, an area where they lack depth, especially after the injuries to Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus.

Saka, 23, has five goals and 10 assists in 10 outings in the Premier League this season but hasn't played since injuring his hamstring in the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace in December. His return date is unknown.

Meanwhile, Havertz, 25, has nine goals and three assists in 21 games in the Premier League. The German injured his hamstring during a Dubai training camp in Februray and isn't expected back before the summer.

Coming to Jesus, the 27-year-old Brazilian, who has scored thrice in 17 Premier League, tore his ACL in January and is likely to return to action only in October. The Gunners are second in the league - 12 points behind leaders Liverpool with nine games to go.

Mikel Arteta's side are short of firepower up front. Considering that, Keown said on TNT Sports (as per TBR) that the Gunners might have already addressed that, without naming anyone:

“I would suggest that there’s already been a player bought, and that it’s already done from an Arsenal point of view. They won’t be making this mistake again."

The Gunners have scored 53 times in the league this season, 16 less than leaders Liverpool, as they seek to end a Premier League drought spanning more than two decades.

What's next for Arsenal?

Arsenal are in the midst of a decent season despite injuries to key players up front. As mentioned earlier, the Gunners are the closest challengers to runaway leaders Liverpool.

While they are out of both domestic cups, Mikel Arteta's side are still alive in the UEFA Champions League, where they saw off PSV Eindhoven 9-2 on aggregate in the Round of 16. They next face holders Real Madrid for a place in the last-four.

However, before that, the Gunners are in Premier League action this weekend, hosting Fulham on Tuesday (April 1). They are coming off a slender 1-0 home win over Chelsea in their previous league outing just before the ongoing internaational break.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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Edited by Bhargav