Mikel Arteta told to sign Man City star in January to replace two Arsenal players

Arsenal should launch an audacious bid to sign Manchester City striker Erling Haaland in the January transfer window, according to talkSPORT host Adrian Durham.

With City facing the prospect of a strong punishment from the Premier League after the club were found guilty of breaking 114 financial rules over a nine-season period, doubts have been raised over Haaland’s long-term future at the Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal, meanwhile, held discussions over signing a new striker in the summer window but were unable to lure Julian Alvarez, their first-choice target, away from Atletico Madrid.

Durham believes Arsenal would ‘dominate’ with Haaland in their squad and feels the Norway international would want a move away from City if the club are severely sanctioned by the Premier League.

‘I was thinking to myself, just imagine Man City get relegated to the North West Counties Premier Division,’ Durham told talkSPORT.

‘And all those players want to leave. Would any of those players get into the PSG side? I couldn’t really think of too many.

‘Then, I thought Erling Haaland would get into any side in the world, his goal rate is phenomenal, and then an idea struck me, Arsenal in January should go for Erling Haaland.

‘The reason is this… they’ve been dilly-dallying about, showing a bit of pity on Kai Havertz, saying he works hard, when he really isn’t that elite level striker that they want.

‘Arteta is sticking by his man Gyokeres, when we all know that he’s not good enough for that elite level. Arteta has just got to hold his hands up and say he’s got this one wrong, he’s never going to make it and we’re never going to get down this road.

‘How good would it be for Arsenal, as they try to dominate domestically and in Europe, season after season, to sign the goal machine that is Erling Haaland?

‘There’s no way that he’ll want to stay at Man City. Even if they stay in the Premier League, but have 30, 40, 50 points deducted for the next nine seasons, he will want to leave.

‘He has to be playing elite level… so my hot take is that Arsenal in January should go all out for Erling Haaland.

‘A serious bid, not a Luis Suarez bid, the £1 extra that they made all those years ago, a serious proper bid that City can’t turn down and that Haaland can’t turn down. Then Arsenal will dominate home and abroad for years to come.

‘Arsenal lack the box office player… Haaland will be the box office finish that the team needs to be remembered forever more.’

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