Arsenal are still seeking to make more additions before the transfer window closes on Tuesday and could be pursuing Leicester City's Riyad Mahrez.According to Paul Hetherington of the Daily Star, Mahrez "is emerging as a player to join the Arsenal chief [Arsene Wenger's] long-term wish list."Per the same report, Wenger said: "I can’t predict what will happen. I am optimistic and we’re working on it. We have Danny Welbeck and Jack Wilshere out and you always want to add goalscorers to your squad."The Algerian has been in stunning form this season, scoring four times already in the Premier League and continuing his excellent end to the previous campaign, as Squawka demonstrated:
By contrast, the Gunners have scored just three times so far this term, two of them courtesy of own goals, and they could use some more firepower if they are to be competitive in the Champions League and the Premier League.
The Foxes are adamant Mahrez will not be going anywhere, though, per BBC Leicester Sport:
Indeed, for as good as Leicester's start has been, they cannot afford to lose one of their key creative talents if they are to survive again in the Premier League.
The Foxes began brightly last year and racked up some early points, including three from a memorable 5-3 victory over Manchester United, but the results dried up in the middle of the campaign, and the team required a late surge—helped in part by Mahrez's form—to stay up.
Therefore, especially this late in the window, their reluctance to part with the 24-year-old is understandable.
A winger isn't what Arsenal especially need anyway. What they ideally need is a goalscorer like Karim Benzema.
The Gunners appear to have missed out on the Frenchman, but Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud has admitted he would have welcomed his compatriot's arrival despite what it may have meant for his own chances to play. He told beIN Sports (Alex Harris of the Daily Star):
It is true that every year here there is speculation about a new striker signing. ... It is obvious that in a club, a team, where a lot is expected, we need several good attackers and I understand that the fans want that we spend more money. ...The coach knows very well what he is doing, and sometimes you should not buy just to buy, and sometimes there are not players out there that you need, who are available.Aside from that, it would have been good if Karim had signed too, eh?
ESPN FC's Miguel Delaney believes Giroud isn't quite the top-class striker Arsenal need but admitted the Gunners do have other options than Benzema.
The often-underrated 28-year-old is still a highly useful player for the Gunners and managed to score 19 goals in all competitions last season despite missing a large part of the campaign with a broken leg.
As Arsenal have shown this season, though, their strike force still isn't quite ready to fire them to the title.
With time running out in the transfer window, however, it seems unlikely they'll be able to land the kind of player they need.
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