‘He reminds me of Thierry Henry’… Theo Walcott has already told Arsenal which striker they must sign

Adding a new striker to the squad now appears to be a priority for the Gunners. Arsenal have inquired about Victor Osimhen and are also trying to complete an £85m deal for Viktor Gyokeres.

While Gabriel Jesus struggles to prove he can be the goalscorer Arsenal need and Kai Havertz impressed up front at the Emirates Stadium last season, there is certainly a strong case to be made that Arteta needs more firepower to lead the line.

However, former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has already made it clear who he believes should be the Gunners’ main target for the vacancy.

Theo Walcott claims Ollie Watkins could be like Thierry Henry for Arsenal

As quoted by the Metro in April, Walcott urged his former club to pursue a deal for Ollie Watkins.

The 35-year-old pundit said: “I feel he is the type of player Arsenal would be looking at. What I really like about Ollie Watkins is that you look at his style and think it’s extreme.

“He reminds me, and it’s one of the best compliments I’ll give him, but he reminds me of Thierry Henry.

“Against Arsenal he played a lot on the left. He wanted to be a striker, but he went to the left – he is a threat on the counter. He is playing at the top of his game and it would be refreshing to see him stay at the club.”

Watkins possesses that Henry-like quality of being able to break out wide, usually to the left flank, before cutting inside to create a new angle of attack. Like the French icon, the Aston Villa man is also a clinical finisher.

Watkins’ stock is certainly high this summer. He was in sensational form for the Midlands outfit last season and has managed to become a hero for England at Euro 2024.

Because of these factors, however, Aston Villa will not let the 28-year-old go cheap. The fact that Watkins is believed to be an Arsenal fan is likely to be of little consequence at any negotiating table.

Could Arsenal sign Watkins this summer?

There has been little to suggest the Gunners are seriously exploring a way to sign Watkins this summer. Not only would the player likely be prohibitively expensive, but given his age, he would also offer little resale value or room for improvement.

Arsenal’s forward targets have been named and revealed and Arteta is unlikely to turn to other alternative options unless it becomes clear that a deal cannot be done for either Gyokeres or Osimhen.

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