Elye Wahi has showed Mikel Arteta exactly why he’s the perfect striker for Arsenal (Image: Christophe Saidi)
Mikel Arteta has built a squad of players capable of spreading the goals out instead of heavily relying on a striker. Arsenal have four players with 10+ goals in their ranks and have 18 goalscorers throughout.
Martin Odegaard’s 15th goal of the season at Newcastle on Sunday means he joins Gabriel Martinelli as the Gunners’ top scorer in all competitions. Behind them in Bukayo Saka (14) with Gabriel Jesus sat with 10.
Much has been made of Manchester City’s ability to rely on Erling Haaland this season, with the Norwegian’s 51 goals in 46 matches playing a telling factor in City’s near-perfect 2023. But behind Haaland, Riyad Mahrez and Julian Alvarez have 15 goals with Phil Foden equalling Saka’s 14 – despite playing more of a squad member role this term.
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The system produced by Arteta in the last 18 months has lifted the pressure off the centre-forward to hold the sole task of putting the ball into the back of the net. Jesus’ arrival has formed the Gunners form a hybrid front four, with the Brazilian often taking up positions deep to allow Martinelli and Saka to make inverted runs.
But that’s not to mean that the north Londoners haven’t missed having a player whose main responsibility is to score. They have. Too many chances have been squandered throughout the season, making it hard to argue against the likes of Victor Osimhen and Goncalo Ramos being linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Both will cost close to £100million in the summer after continuing their terrific individual seasons. With other areas of Areta’s squad requiring attention, Stan Kroenke and Edu Gaspar simply won’t overspend on a striker.
We’re more likely to see a cheaper alternative brought in to add competition to Jesus and that’s why Montpellier’s Elye Wahi could be the perfect candidate. The 20-year-old has been tipped to be the ‘next Kylian Mbappe’ after his eye-catching breakthrough season in France.
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Wahi has scored 17 goals and provided a further five assists in Ligue 1 this campaign and has enjoyed a clinical run of form since March. After missing the 1-1 draw with Lens, the striker has scored nine goals in nine games – including an astonishing four against Lyon.
Former-Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette earned the plaudits with four goals himself, including a 100th-minute penalty winner in a 5-4 thriller at the Pac Olympique Lyonnais. But Wahi, who had scored more than one goal in a game only twice before, deserves a special mention for four well-taken finishes.
His first in the 39 minute was a perfectly-timed poke past Anthony Lopes before a few bounces of luck allowed him to double his tally a minute later. Wahi completed his hat-trick from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute and he showed excellent bravery and speed to beat Lopes to the ball before tapping into an empty net.
Michel Der Zakarian took the striker off at 4-3 up in the 80th minute. Montpellier’s attacking threat vanished and they ended up losing 5-4.
Despite the defeat, Wahi’s agent would have been a busy man on Sunday and Monday. It’s understood that £21.8m-£26m ($27.5m-$33m) would be the minimum asking price – a cheap transfer fee considering the price tags that are being thrown about around Europe.
If Edu Gaspar is indeed scouting around for forward alternatives, Wahi could be his man.
