There is no bigger priority for Arsenal this summer than signing a striker, yet they find themselves at a crossroads.
Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko have been the names most regularly linked with the Gunners, but neither deal is proving straightforward. In fact, there’s still a real chance that Arsenal could miss out on both primary targets.
So, what then? Supporters have been crying out for a star No.9 for a couple of years now and it’s the lack of one that has cost them in three straight title races more than anything else. They simply must fill that glaring hole in what is an otherwise supremely talented squad.
With that in mind, here are the dream, realistic and wildcard strikers Arsenal could target beyond Gyokeres and Sesko, with a bonus suggestion in there for good measure.
Dabble sign-up offer: Get a £10 free bet no deposit required
New customers can get a £10 free bet without depositing into their account with excellent new bookmaker Dabble.
- Go to Dabble using this link.
- Click 'Download Now' to download the app.
- Create your account within the app.
- £10 free bets will be credited following registration.
- Your bet must be wagered 1x at min odds of 1/2 (1.5) to be valid.
New customers only. Free Bets credited following registration. Must be wagered 1x at min odds of 1/2 (1.5). 7-day expiry. Stake not returned. Full T&Cs apply. 18+. Gambleaware.org
Dream: Victor Osimhen
Earlier in June, reports emerged that interest from Arsenal and Manchester United persuaded Victor Osimhen from accepting a move to Saudi club Al-Hilal ahead of the Club World Cup.
Since then, things haven’t really progressed but if Arsenal could reignite this one, what a signing it would be.
That same report stated Al-Hilal had agreed a £63m fee with Napoli and for that price, you’d be getting a striker who has scored 67 goals in 87 league games over the past three seasons in Italy and Turkey combined. Across all competitions, that total extends to 85 goals in 112 games.
During that time, Osimhen has lifted Serie A, Super Lig and Turkish Cup titles, while also firing Nigeria to the Africa Cup of Nations final.
Osimhen famously fell out with Napoli, leading to his loan to Galatasaray, and the chances of him playing for the Partenopei feel about as likely as aliens landing in the middle of the Stadio San Paolo pitch during a game.
His brand of powerful running and ice-cold finishing would be perfect in the Premier League and enough to elevate Arsenal toward Liverpool and Man City’s level of title contention.
Realistic: Hugo Ekitike
Fabrizio Romano reported on Monday that there has been no change in the situation regarding Arsenal’s interest in Hugo Ektike but that the door remains open.
Ekitike struggled after his big move to PSG, netting just four goals in 33 appearances for the Parisians. However, he has got himself firmly back on track in Germany, registering 26 goals and 14 assists in 64 appearances for Eintracht Frankfurt.
That includes 22 goals in 48 games across all competitions last season — and 15 goals in 33 Bundesliga outings — to help the Eagles finish third in the table and qualify for the Champions League, while reaching the Europa League quarter-finals.
Ekitike is fast, smart in build-up play and very intelligent when it comes to finding space, making him a perfect striker to complement the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and the creative Martin Odegaard.
He’d also be a lot cheaper than Osimhen.
Wildcard: Jhon Duran
Just six months after he left Champions League-competing Aston Villa for Al-Nassr, it looks like Jhon Duran’s Saudi adventure is over.
Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that the Colombian striker will leave the club put on the map by Cristiano Ronaldo for a return to Europe, with Turkish giants Fenerbahce advancing in talks. The pull of Jose Mourinho knows no bounds.
However, the Yellow Canaries haven’t landed their man just yet, and we all remember how interested Chelsea and Arsenal were in Duran during the January transfer window.
Back then, Duran cost Al-Nassr a whopping £64m, with Villa’s hand forced due to their PSR position. What the new fee for Duran would be is anyone’s guess, and any outlay would be a gamble, given the player’s unpredictability and temperament.
However, he’s an incredible finisher, and that aforementioned unpredictability also makes him lethal from pretty much anywhere on the pitch. Remember that strike against Bayern Munich?
Duran has all the tools to be a terror at the highest level in Europe and Mikel Arteta feels like the sort of manager who could unleash just enough of his power to make him a success, without the wheels falling off.
Arsenal would have to move quickly, but this could be one fire worth playing with.
Squawka suggests: Ollie Watkins
It might be too late to land Duran and, in all honesty, Arteta may be wondering whether such a signing would be worth the potential headaches.
So, why not go for his former teammate? You know, the one Arsenal have been perpetually linked with for the last few years anyway.
Ollie Watkins is an archetypal Premier League striker. He’s strong, fast, intelligent and knows exactly where the back of the net is. So much so that he’s fourth only to Erling Haaland (85), Mohamed Salah (66) and Alexander Isak (54) for English top-flight goals over the past three seasons combined (50). In fact, his nearest challengers — Yoane Wissa and Bryan Mbeumo — are both 12 adrift.
Watkins — an 18-time England international — still has three years to run on his deal, but he turns 30 midway through next season, so Villa will be very aware that the time to sell is now if they wish to land a significant payday.
And Arsenal should have no problem signing a striker purely for the immediate term, kind of how Man Utd stripped them of Robin van Persie and immediately regained the Premier League title under Sir Alex Ferguson.
The last time Arsenal went for Watkins, they held firm on their £40m valuation, while Aston Villa wanted more than £60m. However, a few more months on the clock should lower the price, as should Villa’s failure to qualify for the Champions League, which brings back the PSR migraine that’s pestered them for the last 18 months.
Is this the perfect storm for Arsenal? It would certainly be romantic for the boyhood Gooner to come to the Emirates and lead them back to the pinnacle of English football.