Arsenal legend Joe Cole has criticized the Gunners for not signing Bournemouth striker Evanilson last summer. The Brazilian forward made a £40 million move from Porto to Bournemouth in 2024 and has since impressed with 10 goals and five assists in 28 Premier League appearances. Cole believes that Evanilson could have been a contender for the Golden Boot if he had joined Arsenal, stating on The Dressing Room Podcast:
“I like him. If you put him in the Arsenal team, I think he’s competing for the Golden Boot. At the start of the season, they didn’t go for a striker and it’s almost like they are waiting for the perfect one. Why did you not go out and make a bid on Evanilson?”
Cole feels that Evanilson’s addition to the Arsenal squad would have made them much stronger and could have resulted in crucial goals and points in their campaign. He praised the Brazilian’s movement and expressed disappointment at Arsenal missing out on signing him.
Meanwhile, former Manchester United player Gary Neville is optimistic about Arsenal’s chances in the Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain. Despite being 1-0 down from the first leg, Neville believes that Arsenal can cause an upset at the Parc des Princes. He highlighted PSG’s tendency to get nervous in big games and suggested that Arsenal could capitalize on this.
However, Arsenal’s recent form has been a cause for concern, with a 2-1 defeat to Bournemouth and a 2-2 draw with Crystal Palace in their last matches. The Gunners will need to step up their performance if they are to overturn the deficit and progress to the final.
In other news, Mikel Arteta has had to deal with injuries to key strikers such as Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus, leading to midfielder Mikel Merino being deployed in the number nine role. Surprisingly, Merino has performed admirably, scoring eight goals across competitions and helping Arsenal stay competitive in various competitions.
Overall, Arsenal faces a tough challenge in the Champions League but with the belief of legends like Joe Cole and Gary Neville, they may just have a fighting chance to turn the tie around and secure a spot in the final.
