'Come on': Jamie O'Hara says Arsenal should definitely not pay £100m to sign Mikel Arteta's dream striker

02/19/2025 11:15 AM

The biggest talking point surrounding Arsenal seems to be their lack of an elite striker and their need to go out and bring one in to cement their position as the best team in the Premier League.

But the sense of urgency amongst the masses about recommending strikers for Mikel Arteta to sign is seemingly not shared by the decision-makers at the Emirates Stadium.

Otherwise, Arsenal would have already signed a centre-forward in the summer and potentially paid big bucks to do so as well — much like when they broke the bank to sign Declan Rice in 2023.

Gary Neville questioned why Arsenal did not sign a striker as it seems clear as day that while Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus are quality players, they are not thoroughbred goalscorers.

But the number nine that the Gunners eventually bring in must suit Mikel Arteta’s style of play and based on Havertz and Jesus’ signings, it seems like the Spaniard prefers a marksman who can do more than just score goals.

The most recent update surrounding their chase for a killer up front is that Arsenal have decided not to sign Moise Kean as they have doubts over his track record as a goalscorer.

Jamie O’Hara urges Arsenal not to pay £100 million to sign Alexander Isak

Perhaps another reason behind the club’s decision not to sign Kean is because Alexander Isak is Mikel Arteta’s dream striker but Newcastle United have no intention of selling him this summer.

However, the hope for the North Londoners is that Newcastle could be forced to sell Isak if they do not secure Champions League football at the end of the season.

But former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder and now-pundit Jamie O’Hara feels that if Arsenal do think Alexander Isak is their man, they should not pay £100 million to sign him and set an £80 million pricecap instead.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT: “Yeah, I mean, if they [Newcastle] get one [an offer] like the [Jhon] Duran one, Villa didn’t really want to sell Duran, did they? When you get a ridiculous offer, you have to kind of take it.”

Jason Cundy asked Jamie O’Hara: “What’s a ridiculous offer? There has to be a ‘one’ there, right?”

O’Hara continued to discuss Arsenal’s reported hunt to sign Isak: “No, no, come on. It’s not one, you can’t put one in there.” Jamie O’Hara continued: “£80, £80 million!” He’s not playing Champions League football. We talk about all this, FFP rules and all these rules and teams getting deducted points, are we still going to accept that you have to pay £100 million for players? What’s that about?”

Arsenal told how much they have to pay to sign Isak in the summer

However, Newcastle’s asking price Isak is £150 million if any club intend to sign him this summer.

Arsenal fear that the Magpies’ “stubborn” stance could mean they are priced out of a move for the Swede.

However, Newcastle have no reason to sell their talisman.

Isak is the face of their project as well as being the best player.

Furthermore, the former Real Sociedad forward has proven why it should cost an arm and a leg to sign him after scoring 19 goals and assisting five times this season.

Arsenal are confident about signing Benjamin Sesko, who could end up being the cut-price alternative to Isak.