Paul Merson has urged Arsenal to attempt an approach to sign wantaway Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku.
Paul Merson thinks Arsenal should sign Romelu Lukaku and solve their striker problem by making a ‘cheeky’ bid for the Belgian. What remains a doubt is Chelsea’s willingness to sell their record signing to their London rivals.
Lukaku has been a disastrous transfer for Chelsea, who paid nearly £100 million to sign him from Inter Milan. The move was designed to solve a problem area for the Blues and make them title challengers; instead, the Belgian fizzled out and became the centre of controversies with his off-field interviews and comments this past season.
Chelsea are willing to consider a sizeable offer or a loan deal to get Lukaku off their books. Inter Milan are linked with the struggling Belgian forward, and without the striker departing, the Blues are not expected to bring in a replacement.
Merson, in his column for the Daily Star, suggested Arsenal should be all over the Lukaku situation and make a bid for the Chelsea striker. The former Arsenal man insisted the north Londoners should test Chelsea’s resolve with a £60 million offer.
Merson gave his justifications for the choice, despite Mikel Arteta’s keenness to recruit a front-man with a younger age profile compared to the struggling Chelsea forward. Merson said, “Arsenal should make a cheeky £60m bid for Romelu Lukaku this summer.”
“Because if Chelsea are so desperate to let him go that they’re talking about loaning him to Inter Milan, surely they would take the money! Arsenal haven’t had someone who is big and strong and dynamic like that since Kevin Campbell.”
“I know he hasn’t scored many goals this season, but Lukaku is an elite goalscorer. Arsenal plays great football up to the edge of the box, but then it often fizzles out. Arsenal go through the lines. They want their striker on the edge of the box. It would suit him. They could roll it into him, and he doesn’t have to get involved in the build-up too much.”
“He doesn’t have to come too short and help build the play. I would be chasing Lukaku hard if I was Arsenal. I’d be trying my hardest. You don’t have to do too much running at Arsenal. The way they play, you want the centre forward to be upfront and stay there. Arsenal have runners who could get in behind him and supply him with crosses.”
Arsenal are keen on signing Gabriel Jesus as their priority signing. However, Manchester City’s asking price has complicated the chase, and the delay from the Gunners in wrapping up a deal has allowed the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and even Real Madrid to sniff around for the Brazilian.
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Arteta wants a striker, and Lukaku fits the profile of a player the Spanish manager is looking for. However, looking at how the Belgian performed last season, it may not have inspired a club like Arsenal to consider making a move, let alone put in a ‘cheeky’ bid worth £60 million for the Chelsea forward.
