Striker Search

Last updated : 16 August 2005 By Keith Allman

With the news that Pegguy Luyindula is joining Auxerre on loan instead of us (no surprise there - as soon as we go public on a deal you know we've lost it) obviously our attentions will be turning to other targets. When Alain said a week or so back that he needed another striker I didn't really agree and I still think once we get Pericard and Toddy back, once Mbesuma gets up to match fitness and when Karadas beds in we should be ok. In the meantime this is the Premier League and, as we all know, you don't really get time to adjust.

Apparently we're looking at targets in Europe and South America which has led some to question why we're not looking closer to home for our potential options, as indeed there are some young strikers in the English leagues who could be up for the challenge. However you only have to look at how hideously over-priced English talent is these days;

- Peter Crouch moving for £7m after six whole months of doing well
- Phil Jagielka being valued at £5m by Sheffield United
- Dean Ashton allegedly on the receiving end of a £7.5m bid from Wigan

Aaah, Wigan. There's a certain amount of anxiety around the club at the moment not just because of our own contained spending, but because the teams likely to be at the bottom of the table are splashing the cash themselves. West Brom spent £4.5m on Kamara and Ellington whilst, as aforementioned, Wigan are hoping to land Ashton. But especially in regards to West Brom, is it really worth the massive outlay? Kamara has lots of tricks but no end product whilst Ellington was dropped for Brett Ormerod in the Championship last season. Ashton is an ok player but hardly proven consistently at the top level (think Marcus Stewart, Jon Stead etc, all players who looked world beaters but then struggled in the elusive second season). Even someone like David Bentley, who some would like to see us sign, had a fairly unspectacular season at Norwich and has never been anywhere near the Arsenal first team - yet apparently is worth over £2m!

Obviously all fans love it when the club flash a couple of million to bring in a player and I'm no different, but remember the example frequently used on this site; Arjan De Zeeuw was free and Dean Richards was £8.1m. Spending does not equal success and if Milan decides that working to a budget is for the best so that this club can soon stand on its own two feet after he's gone then so be it. Alain would've been more than fully aware of the situation he was coming to work in, too, so it's not like he would've been caught by surprise by this.

We wait and see as to what will happen, but in the meantime it looks like one player will be leaving (on the short term at least); Toddy is apparently set for a loan move to Sheffield United. Seems a bit odd since they have a few strikers anyway but as long as he gets games under his belt I won't complain!