Arsene Wenger identifies Arsenal’s number one striker for next season

Much to the chagrin of most Arsenal fans, manager Arsene Wenger has named Olivier Giroud as next year’s top-choice striker

Arsenal fans who are looking for positive news in this article should probably look away. Long-time Gunner manager Arsene Wenger has revealed the identify of next year’s first-choice striker and his identity isn’t likely going to make the club’s fan base very happy.

The Evening Standard quotes the French manager as saying that fellow countryman Olivier Giroud will head into next season as his first choice at the striking position. The revelation should send shock waves throughout the Gunner fan base who certainly expected the club to add a world-class number nine this summer.

Instead, it appears that Wenger believes that he already has that man on the current roster in the form of Giroud. He was the only Arsenal player to appear in every Premier League match this season and he led the squad with 16 goals. He’ll have to do better than that next season in the aftermath of Danny Welbeck’s long-term injury.

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Wenger did go on to say that he expected the club to add another striker this summer to help cope with the loss of Welbeck. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, it isn’t likely to be the big name acquisition that many fans hoped for this summer.

The North London club are much more likely to purchase another young prospect who can grow into a bigger role over time. This means that the Gunner shopping list won’t feature names like Gonzalo Higuain, but might become more focused on cheaper options like Michy Batshuayi for instance.

Wenger’s declaration of support for Giroud is a pretty significant risk. You can bet that the club’s high-profile stars like Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez will be watching Arsenal’s transfer moves very closely this summer. Any sign at a lack of ambition or significant investment could result in one of the big-name stars refusing to sign a contract extension of their own.

You have to wonder why Wenger would make this sort of public declaration at this point on the calendar. It could be a ploy just to improve the club’s negotiating position, but it won’t do much to inspire optimism about a good summer transfer window in anyone associated with the club.

Arsenal fans hoping for an aggressive summer transfer window with Arsene Wenger in charge are set to be disappointed once again. Their distinguished manager has decided, once again, to trust in Olivier Giroud to lead the Gunners’ line.