Micah Richards says striker Edu wanted Arsenal to sign looks ‘amazing’ in the Premier League
Several of Arsenal’s striker targets made their way to the Premier League, with some impressing more than others.
Frustratingly, the player that Mikel Arteta signed is one of those who has yet to prove himself in the Premier League.
Viktor Gyokeres doesn’t look like a good fit for Arsenal at present, which is reflected by the three non-penalty goals he’s scored in the league so far.
There’s hope that Gyokeres will come good for Arsenal, but right now, he’s behind his peers, one of whom is Igor Jesus of Nottingham Forest.
If you could go back in time and sign another striker for Arsenal instead of Viktor Gyokeres, who would it be and why?
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Micah Richards says former Arsenal target Igor Jesus looks amazing in the Premier League
Before Gyokeres was signed, Arsenal tabled an offer for Jesus, who represented Botafogo in Brazil at the time.
The summer market wasn’t the first instance of Arsenal’s interest in Jesus, who was looked at by Edu Gaspar the year prior.
It came as no surprise to see Edu move to Nottingham Forest and then sign Jesus, who has since become a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.
Based on what you’ve seen in 2025/26 rank these strikers from best to worst.
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Micah Richards was eager to single the striker out for praise on The Rest Is Football podcast after Forest’s narrow defeat to Manchester City.
“Don’t you think Igor Jesus up front, his hold-up play was amazing,” Richards said.
The pundit wasn’t the only one to be charmed by the Brazilian, as co-host Alan Shearer agreed.
Shearer replied, “Got himself around, didn’t he? Tough to play against.”
The Premier League’s record goalscorer was absolutely right, as Forest’s striker was involved in as many as 16 duels against City, making himself a real handful for Pep Guardiola’s side.
Pep Guardiola echoed praise of Igor Jesus
Given that Arsenal’s striker signing hasn’t hit the ground running, it’s frustrating to see others who were linked perform so well.
After Forest’s defeat, Guardiola deemed it necessary to single out Jesus, whose duel-winning was applauded.
Igor Jesus vs Manchester City4 fouls drawn16 duels contested1 assist2 shotsIgor Jesus’ stats from Nottingham Forest vs Manchester City – Sofascore.
“Igor Jesus wins every ball he contests. They are a top team,” he said in his post-match press conference.
Duel-winning is what Arteta needs from his forwards, and as Gyokeres isn’t doing it, it has to be pondered whether Jesus would’ve been a better fit for the Arsenal manager’s demands.
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