Sport
Emmanuel Petit Questions Why Arsenal Chose Watkins Over Isak or Osimhen
Emmanuel Petit, the former Arsenal midfielder, has raised eyebrows over the Gunners’ decision to focus on signing Ollie Watkins instead of pursuing more established strikers like Alexander Isak or Victor Osimhen this January.
Recent reports revealed that Arsenal made a £60million bid for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, but Villa swiftly rejected the offer. Petit, however, believes that the Gunners should have prioritized Isak or Osimhen over Watkins, who he described as more of a backup option.
Arsenal has been grappling with inconsistent finishing in the final third, a key area where they have struggled to find the back of the net. This has led to speculation about potential signings to boost their attacking options, with numerous strikers being linked to the club.
Petit, speaking to Metro, shared his thoughts on the club’s approach: “The pursuit of Ollie Watkins seems like a bit of a panic move. He wasn’t necessarily their first-choice target, and with the transfer window winding down, they were forced to act quickly.”
While he acknowledged Watkins’ attributes, Petit made it clear that Arsenal would likely have preferred a different striker. “I do like Watkins as a player. He has a competitive edge, a strong desire to score, and brings real energy to the attack. His pace and physicality would bring something fresh to the Arsenal frontline,” Petit said.
However, he emphasized that players like Isak and Osimhen would have likely been at the top of the Gunners’ list. “Isak has everything Arsenal would need in a striker: the right technical ability, intelligence, and composure. He’d be a great fit for their style of play,” he continued.
Former footballer Thierry Henry has shared his thoughts on Arsenal’s match following their loss to Atlético Madrid on October 13.
Speaking during a brief interview on CBS Sports, Henry criticised the practice of players or coaches expressing certain opinions through the media instead of addressing issues directly within the dressing room.
“I’m not a coach anymore, but I always say, whoever speaks like that, out. Keep that in the dressing room, it’s as simple as that,” Henry said on CBS Sports.
“That is the only way it can work. You have to say those things to a person’s face… going through the press, I am not really a fan of that.”
Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique has shared his thoughts on the 2026 Ballon d’Or award, revealing that he hopes the winner will come from his team.
The manager spoke about how hard his players have worked and expressed his belief that they deserve the recognition.
“What I hope is that we win this trophy. We have players who deserve it.”
“Last year, we were the best team. We showed that it wasn’t just Ousmane Dembélé who deserved it.”
French football pundit Walid Acherchour has named Lamine Yamal as his pick to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or, sparking reactions among football fans.
Acherchour’s choice came as a surprise to some fans, who expected him to support fellow Frenchman Kylian Mbappé instead.
Speaking about his prediction, Acherchour expressed confidence in Yamal’s chances of winning the prestigious individual award.
“For me, Lamine Yamal, he is going to get it [2026 Ballon d’Or]. For me, there’s no doubt anymore,” Acherchour said, as quoted by Actu Foot. That start to the season shows that in fact, he was injured during the World Cup. He was the best player in La Liga, and he won the World Cup.
“Even if, for me, in fact, he doesn’t have the Ballon d’Or unanimously because his World Cup was average, even being average, he won it with Spain. He won La Liga with Barça.”
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