Arsenal really need to sign a striker as soon as the summer transfer window is open for business, following their dismal January.
The Gunners terminated their best striker’s contract this past month by letting Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leave North London.
And with only Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah as centre-forward options between now and the end of the summer, Arsenal – who have both of those marksmen out of contract in the summer – simply need to invest heavily in goalscorers.
Speculation was rife that the Emirates Stadium outfit were going to sign Dusan Vlahovic in January but, expectedly, it was a red herring and he wound up joining Juventus from Fiorentina instead.
However, there are many more strikers who Arsenal could sign, with Alexander Isak among the players touted for a potential transfer to the Premier League outfit.
French journalist Julien Laurens has been speaking to ESPN, claiming that Mikel Arteta and Edu will be targeting goalscorers under the age of 25 – and ones who fit their philosophy.
He told ESPN: “If there’s another striker coming in. Whether it’s Jonathan David, Alexander Isak, Calvert-Lewin, Watkins, Toney, whoever they go for. It’ll be someone – I can guarantee you – under the age of 25. It’ll be someone in terms of style and personality fits far more with who they want to be.”
If Laurens is right, this rules out a signing of Raul de Tomas.
Arsenal were linked to the Espanyol striker once Vlahovic joined the Italian outfit, but De Tomas is 27 and therefore he wouldn’t fit Arteta and Edu’s criteria at this moment in time.
Scoring goals has been the Gunners’ achilles heal under the Spanish manager for two years, with the defence looking far more reliable than the offence, but this simply needs to change during the summer.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
