By Wale Mustapha
Former Nigerian striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni has advised Arsenal to bolster their attacking department with a new striker if they are to end their English Premier League title drought.
The Gunners last won the title in the 2003/2004 season, going through the campaign unbeaten.
Despite this long wait for a title, Arsenal have shown strong form this season, narrowing the gap to league leaders Liverpool to just four points after a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.
Aiyegbeni, who played for Premier League clubs like Everton, Portsmouth, Blackburn Rovers, and Middlesbrough, believes Arsenal can challenge for the title this season but must address their striking options.
“We’ve seen in the past few seasons – last year, two years ago, and three years ago – Arsenal putting pressure on Manchester City. Right now, City aren’t in the best form; they’re struggling,” Aiyegbeni was quoted by Sky Sports.
“For Arsenal (to win the league), it’s just a matter of getting a striker. Once they do, I believe they can push Liverpool all the way to the end,” the former Super Eagles forward added.
Arsenal will look to continue their push for the title when they host Aston Villa in their next league game on Saturday.
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
