Mikel Arteta has Gabriel Jesus as his first-choice striker who boasts seven goals and seven assists from 24 games this season, but Pete O’Rourke of the Football Insider says Arsenal want a tried and tested centre-forward this summer.
The Gunners have Eddie Nketiah as backup who has scored nine goals with two assists from 32 games, but the 23-year-old only has four goals in 23 league outings this campaign, so it’s little surprise Arteta wants another option.
O’Rourke says Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin is on their radar as Arteta is reportedly an admirer of the 26-year-old, but he’s hardly played any football this season due to injury, so would he be a good purchase?
Injuries have blighted career
Calvert-Lewin, who’s valued at €25m (£22m) by Transfermarkt, has scored one goal from 12 games in 2022/23, making just four league appearances since the turn of the year, so his fitness can’t be relied upon – the England international has suffered a knee injury and hamstring problem, keeping him out for most of the campaign.
Even last season, Calvert-Lewin was out for months with a fractured toe, featuring in less than half the available league games, so Arsenal might be gambling on this signing. Since joining Everton from Sheffield United in 2016, the 26-year-old has scored 59 goals with 18 assists from 203 games.
It’s hardly a prolific total and no better than Jesus or Nketiah, so Arteta would surely prefer a striker that can stay fit with a better goal record. It makes little sense to bring in Calvert-Lewin off the back of two injury-laded campaigns.
Calvert-Lewin’s best season for Everton was in 2020/21 where he scored 16 goals in 33 league games. He’s managed only six goals from 28 games since, so Arsenal are better off looking elsewhere. The Gunners are top of the table with nine games remaining, so they should be able to sign a stellar talent when the summer transfer window opens.
Jesus has contributed 13 goals from 17 league games in his debut season, scoring two goals in his last three outings since returning from injury, so his place in the side isn’t up for grabs.
Nketiah’s might be, however, as he’s gone cold in recent weeks. The 23-year-old deputised for the injured Jesus in December 2022 and January 2023, scoring four goals in five starts, but he’s not netted in two months (six games) and has missed four further games with an ankle injury.
