7 months ago
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Gabby Agbonlahor believes Mikel Arteta has cost Arsenal a shot at this season’s Premier League title with the signing of Kai Havertz.
The Germany international completed a £65million switch from Chelsea in one of last summer’s more surprising transfer deals.
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The jury has been out on the 24-year old after a slow start to life in north London.
He appeared to show signs of an upturn in form before Christmas with crucial goals against Brentford, Luton and Brighton, but a dip in performance alongside Arsenal’s four-game winless run has seen the detractors return.
Former Aston Villa striker Agbonlahor believes the finger of blame lies firmly at Arteta’s door and describes the acquisition of the German as a move Arsenal didn’t need to make.
“I think the biggest thing Arsenal fans are annoyed with and what Arteta will regret is spending a lot of his transfer budget on Havertz,” Agbonlahor said on Friday's talkSPORT Breakfast.
“He wasn’t the answer. They could have £65m available now towards getting a striker like Ivan Toney. It’s going to cost them.
“They’ve got [Fabio] Vieira, they’ve got [Emile] Smith Rowe who are probably better than Havertz in the same position.
“So for me, Arteta has cost Arsenal the title by spending money very stupidly, I’d say.”
The Gunners find themselves in third place, five-points adrift of leaders Liverpool in the race for the title.
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A poor run of form over the festive period saw Arteta’s side relinquish top spot to Liverpool before Jurgen Klopp’s side inflicted more damage on their hopes of lifting silverware this season by dumping Arsenal out of the FA Cup.
Havertz was deployed as a centre-forward in the 2-0 defeat at home to the Reds, drawing further criticism with Arsenal fans already bemused by the underwhelming goal returns of strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.
Mikel Arteta reveals that getting a new striker in the January transfer window isn't realistic for Arsenal
The general consensus around the Emirates Stadium is that a striker is the priority if Arsenal are to go one better and land their first Premier League title in 20 years.
With Brentford star Toney issuing a ‘come and get me plea’ and Arteta's admission that signing a striker in January is 'not realistic' following a summer of lavish spending, Arsenal’s lack of an efficient goal scorer could become their undoing.
