Gary Lineker tells Arsenal to ignore £100m target and sign EPL striker

Arsenal have been told by Gary Lineker to ignore £100million-rated target Victor Osimhen and sign Liam Delap instead.

The Gunners are searching for a new striker after missing out on one during the winter transfer window, an outcome which left Mikel Arteta 'disappointed'. Injuries to forwards Gabriel Jesus, Kai Havertz, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli have derailed Arsenal's Premier League title charge, with their lack of goalscoring nous evident during Saturday's shock 1-0 loss at home to West Ham.

Speculation over which striker the Gunners will sign continues to simmer and pundits are chiming in with their verdicts. Asked by Lineker who Arsenal should recruit, all-time Premier League top goalscorer Alan Shearer suggested: "Victor Osimhen is there isn't he.

"He without a doubt would score goals for them. The problem they've got now is the whole world knows they need a forward. So a player who might have cost £60-70m is now going to be worth £100-110m when Arsenal come in.

"They're going to have to pay over the odds and perhaps that was there issues last summer and in January, maybe they refused to pay over the top for someone," Shearer, speaking on The Rest is Football podcast, added. "They need a top-class centre forward, they did before a ball was kicked this season and my opinion hasn't changed."

Lineker then offered an alternative. "If I were them I'd go for Delap at Ipswich," the Match of the Day icon declared. "I know he's young and not entirely proven but he's scored quite a lot of goals in the Premier League this season for a team that's obviously struggled having been promoted.

"I like him and his movement. There's talk of him going back to Man City but [Erling] Haaland has singed a nine-year deal, so you might have to wait an awfully long time to get a game."

Shearer agreed that former Manchester City prospect Delap could be a solution Arsenal's problems, despite only being 22. "It looks like Ipswich will get relegated and he's got a taste of the Premier League now," the former Newcastle striker continued. "There's no doubt there will be some big clubs looking at him and other players.

"He's been one of their best players. I like him, he's has a good season, he brings a positivity and a real strength. He's only going to get better too given his age. Maybe he hasn't got the experience right now but in a year or two he could be a big asset."

Aside from Delap and Osimhen, who remains a Napoli player but is spending this season on loan at Galatasaray, Newcastle talisman Alexander Isak has also been linked with a move to the Emirates. Shearer, though, doesn't see it happening.

"I don't think Arsenal can afford him. I really don't. I'm being serious," he claimed. "Why would he want to go there if Newcastle get into the Champions League and win a trophy? This could be a huge season for Newcastle."