Emmanuel Petit says Arsenal missed out on ‘perfect’ summer signing | Football

Emmanuel Petit says Julian Alvarez is precisely the type of player that Arsenal ‘need’ up front and would ‘perfectly fit the DNA’ of Mikel Arteta’s team.

After bringing their 22-year wait for a Premier League title to an end, the Gunners set out their stall in the summer transfer market by landing Bruno Guimaraes, Christos Tzolis and Ezri Konsa for a combined fee of around £164million.

The north Londoners also activated their £35million option to signing Piero Hincapie on a permanent basis from Bayer Leverkusen, while bringing in back-up goalkeeper Illan Meslier on a free transfer.

With 24 hours remaining of the window, Arteta confirmed that the club were still exploring avenues to strengthen to their title-winning attack after missing out on a deal for Vinicius Junior.

Atletico Madrid striker Alvarez emerged as a top target and reports emanating out of Spain suggested the Argentinian was considering Arsenal after giving up hope of joining Barcelona – his favoured move.

However, the English champions did not follow-up on their initial interest with a formal offer for Alvarez and Arteta was left disappointed as the transfer deadline came and went.

Kai Havertz has gone on to start all three of Arsenal’s opening Premier League matches, scoring twice and producing an exquisite dummy that led to Martin Odegaard’s winner against Chelsea last weekend.

According to ex-Arsenal midfielder Petit, though, Alvarez remains the ideal player to lead the line at the Emirates – even if a deal for the 2022 World Cup winner remains a pipe dream.

‘Julian Alvarez is the striker Arsenal need. Why? Because he knows the Premier League,’ Petit told BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest Premier League odds.

‘He’s such a talented player. He has great movement, great technical skills, and he would perfectly fit the DNA of this Arsenal team in how he plays one touch football.

‘I really like everything about him as a player.

‘But obviously he wants Barcelona, and if he didn’t leave Atletico Madrid in the summer transfer window, do you really think he’s going to leave that club during the winter transfer window? I wouldn’t be so sure about that.’

Viktor Gyokeres’ playing time has been limited this season, with the Swede making just one cameo appearance in the Premier League in the side’s comeback victory over Chelsea last weekend.

However, Petit has urged Gyokeres to be patient for opportunities and is confident the attacker could still have a significant role to play over the coming weeks and months.

‘Arsenal will have to hope that Kai Havertz does not get injured but this is not the end for Viktor Gyokeres because he is a warrior. He’s got his own qualities.

‘We know Arsenal wanted another striker to come in this summer and Havertz won’t play every game.

‘Gyokeres will have opportunities to prove his worth and stay at Arsenal.’

Another player yet to start in the English top flight this term is Eberechi Eze, who blew hot and cold across his debut season last term.

But Eze was given the nod from the off against Napoli in the Champions League on Wednesday night and Petit has called on the England international to ‘win his place’ in Arteta’s starting XI.

‘The next step for Arsenal is keeping the same standards, the same ambition, the same ego and humility and players like Eberechi Eze are important to Mikel Arteta for that,’ the 1998 World Cup champion said.

‘Rotation will be key to his season and we saw what happened last season with the depth of the squad and the options off the bench, and Eze is one of those options at the moment, but there are many, many games to play.

‘The fact that Arsenal have so many players who can set these high standards at the start of the season can send a message to the rest of the dressing room. If you want to play, you have to be really good.

‘If Eze wants to play, he has to win his place. If he can win his place, he will keep the standards high.’

On the evidence of Arsenal’s first few performances in the Premier League, Petit is confident Arteta’s men – captained by a resurgent Odegaard – can go out and successfully defend their title.

‘We will hear everything from these people who want to criticise Arsenal for whatever they do. Set piece team?! They are now playing very well, and with full confidence,’ he continued.

‘They have improved as a team. We saw how they broke through the lines, and it is like the glass ceiling over the team has been shattered.

‘Winning that first title was so important for Arsenal and now they can win the title many more times over the years to come.

‘We can see from the start of this season that they are playing with so much belief that they will win the Premier League again.’

Arsenal return to top-flight action against Sunderland at the Stadium of Light this weekend, their second of four straight away matches in all competitions.

The Gunners were held to a 2-2 draw at the ground last season before putting three unanswered goals past the Black Cats on home soil.

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