Scoring goals once again appears to be an issue for Arsenal after their 2-0 defeat to West Ham United and it’s therefore no surprise that Victor Boniface is now on the club’s radar.
Goals from Tomas Soucek and Konstantinos Mavropanos subjected Arsenal to their first home defeat in the Premier League this season.
A report from CBS Sports has provided an update on the list of players Mikel Arteta is considering that could help the Gunners get over the line this season.
Arsenal were top at Christmas for the second season on the bounce but have already given up that spot to Liverpool.
They were all over David Moyes’s side yesterday, recording more than 30 shots without managing to find a way past Alphonse Areola.
Arsenal have one of the best defences in the league at the bottom, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes forming a fantastic partnership.
However, their problems in front of goal look likely to be the issue if they want to end their wait for a league title.
It therefore makes sense that Victor Boniface is on Arsenal’s radar after a stellar start to the season in Germany.
Following his £17m move from Union Saint-Gilloise to Bayer Leverkusen in the summer, he already has 16 goals in all competitions as well as seven Bundesliga assists to his name.
Whether Arsenal could convince him to move on so quickly after moving to Germany is another issue, but if the Gunners hierarchy think this season is their best chance of achieving silverware, then it might be worth pushing the boat out to bring the 23-year-old in.
Leverkusen star Boniface now on Arsenal’s radar
The report from CBS Sports lists several strikers that are of interest to Arsenal.
Ivan Toney is among them and despite his ban this season, the Gunners have already been told how much the England international is likely to cost.
There’s also Victor Osimhen, who has just signed a new deal at Napoli but does have a huge release clause in his contract.
CBS Sports also lists Lautaro Martinez as a player that the Gunners are keeping an eye on having previously been linked with Tottenham.
The final striker on Arsenal’s radar is Victor Boniface and his brilliant form this season makes him a sensible choice.
However, it’s unlikely that he’ll be allowed to leave in January and a summer move for the 23-year-old may not be much use to Arteta if Toney becomes available.
He’s got a big fan in Nigerian legend Jay-Jay Okocha who once said: “He’s been amazing. It’s always great to see one of our own doing well,” Nigeria and Bolton icon Jay-Jay Okocha tells LiveScore.
“He gives us hope. It shows we are not short of talent.”
Arsenal must prioritise striker move in January to maintain title challenge
While Boniface might be on Arsenal’s radar, it seems unlikely that they’ll be able to bring in the Nigerian international next month without spending a huge fee.
However, their struggles against West Ham highlight the issues they’re having in front of goal and while they’re normally very good at keeping the opposition out, that’s of little use if they can’t score themselves.
Gabriel Martinelli’s form has suffered recently, while Gabriel Jesus has never been hugely prolific.
Bukayo Saka is struggling to pick up the slack and while Martin Odegaard looked fantastic last night, he can’t do it all on his own.
There are unlikely to be many options available next month that could live up to the high standards Arteta expects of his players.
Their best hope is Ivan Toney deciding he wants to move next month and the Gunners stealing a march on their rivals to sign the 27-year-old.
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