According to Italian Source Calcio24, Arsenal are planning a move for Valencia striker Roberto Soldado. Despite having a potent attacking force, the Gunner’s are severely lacking in effective strikers. Even as Robin Van Persie has been unstoppable this season, the likes of Marouane Chamakh and Park Chu-Young have disappointed whilst Nicklas Bendtner doesn’t look to have a future at the Emirates. So would Roberto Soldado be the right man to bolster the Gunner’s strikeforce?
Ex-Real Madrid star Soldado has really found his feet since joining Valencia back in Summer 2010. He’s been in an 18 month purple patch scoring an incredible 50 goals from 85 appearances. When you compare that to the goal tally and general effectiveness of players like Chamakh, he’s clearly worlds apart.
His form has also seen him establish himself at International level, knocking the misfiring Fernando Torres out of contention for the Spanish National team in the process. I think it’s fair to say that he has slowly but surely established himself as one of world football’s best strikers.
He’s 26-years-old and is entering his ‘prime’ years as a professional footballer. As such, Valencia wont be keen to sell and may demand a substantial fee for his services. Will Arsene Wenger be willing to break the bank for a proven talent or will he look for alternatives elsewhere?
There has been a lot of talk of Arsenal making a move for FC Koln striker Lukas Podolski, who can operate as both a centre-forward and a wing-forward. With this versatility in mind, Wenger may opt to go for two world-class strikers this summer to leave the days of Chamakh, Bendtner and Park in the distant memory.
A strike-force of Robin Van Persie (should he not move on this summer) Lukas Podolski and Roberto Soldado is more or less certain to provide goals. All three strikers have a proven track record, but also offer some adaptability and flexibility. RVP offers technical ability, Podolski offers versatility, whilst Soldado is more of a natural goal-scorer who tends to pop up in all the right places.
At the moment Arsenal’s Soldado link seems to be nothing more than conjecture, but I can’t help but feel that he’d be the perfect signing (along with Podolski). If Arsenal are to challenge for the Premier League next season they have to make the right signings in the transfer market. Whilst Soldado wouldn’t come cheap, he’d doubtless be worth every penny.
So is it time for Wenger to loosen the purse strings?
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arsene we need soldado and podolski 2 perfom in likes of RVP.
I think as an African Arsenal fan,if RVP had to get support from strikers like podolski and soldado,he can light fire in every field and make Arsenal to come back to their position of winning leagues which has become like an history,PLEASE Arsene Wenger should turn up like a coach and touch the bank at least to make young arsenal fans feel they belong to arsenal through winning trophies.
We have survived enough on dead hopes,lets make our hopes alive.
no