Arsene Wenger Will Always Be Very Very Stupid To Still Rely On Olivier Giroud Come This New Season 2016/2017

Arsenal will be hugely reliant on Olivier Giroud with Danny Welbeck (centre) absent until the start of 2017

 

Manchester United got Zlatan Ibrahimovic. Chelsea got Michy Batshuayi. Tottenham Hotspur got Vincent Janssen. And that's just to name a few who are adding to their attack.

At Arsenal, they have Olivier Giroud, because Danny Welbeck is out until 2017, Joel Campbell is apparently off to Valencia and Theo Walcott is not a natural centre forward.

One-and-a-half strikers is nowhere near enough for a side that is supposed to be fighting for their first title since 2004, and this could be the summer of 2015 all over again.

 

 

Zlatan Ibrahimovic is set to light up the Premier League this season having joined Manchester United

There is still more than a month to go before the transfer window shuts and Arsenal supporters are sitting patiently, waiting to see if a striker is snapped up.

That, though, isn't as easy as it sounds after the TV money was introduced.

David Sullivan, West Ham's co-owner, spoke to Sportsmail last week about how this is the most 'barmy' market to date. The 67-year-old said it is spiralling out of control, that any strikers available are severely overpriced, and too many clubs are chasing the same stars.

Arsenal, at least, tried to get their transfer business done early by bidding £22million for Jamie Vardy before the European Championship in France.

Arsenal have failed already this summer in their bid to sign another striker as Jamie Vardy stayed at Leicester

                        

Michy Batshuayi has arrived at Chelsea to provide extra competition for Diego Costa at Stamford Bridge

Yet that saga ended with the 29-year-old staying at Leicester City on new and improved terms, and still the search for a striker goes on for Arsenal.

Twelve months ago, the consensus was that Giroud was good but the suspicion remained that he was not great.

He delivered 16 goals in 38 appearances as Arsenal tried to become champions but also went on a 15-game drought in between, before Leicester won the title instead.

Since joining the Premier League in 2012, Giroud has yet to score 20-or-more goals in a single season. His return has been 11, 16, 14 and 16 respectively, and that is not up to scratch.

                              

Alvaro Morata rejoined Real Madrid after they exercised the £23m buy-back option in his contract at Juventus

                              

Arsenal failed in their bid to sign Karim Benzema last summer and he will not want to repeat that frustration

Napoli striker Gonzalo Higauin has a release clause of £78.2m with Juventus in prime position to capitalise