Arsenal told Liverpool star would have been “a perfect signing” instead of £64m star

Liverpool initially signed Ekitike from Eintracht Frankfurt for around £69m before completing their spectacular £125m deal for Isak later in the window.

Bothroyd told Football Uncensored: “When I look at Julian Alvarez, I think he is exactly what Arsenal needed.

“I wanted to get Alexander Isak from Newcastle, I think that was the perfect signing.

“Then Hugo Ekitike, that was a perfect signing.”

Bothroyd believes either forward would have represented a major addition for Arteta, while he also highlighted Julian Alvarez as the profile of striker Arsenal should have been targeting.

Alvarez remains an option in the wider picture, but Arsenal now face the difficult reality of trying to land a player they failed to secure during the original recruitment process.