Arsenal require a miraculous final day of this Premier League campaign if they’re to secure Champions League football next season. Sitting two points off of fourth, Mikel Arteta’s men need rivals Tottenham to lose to Norwich while they must beat Everton at the Emirates.
That sequence of results is highly unlikely and inevitably there’ll be some form of post-mortem in the wake of Arsenal ’s failure to see through their Champions League push. Scrutiny in this respect has already started, with a lack of goals being highlighted as one of the big causes of the Gunners’ end of season disappointment.
Not only have they scored the fewest number of goals for any side currently inside the top seven - something Arteta will want to improve next season - but they’ll also need to replace Alexandre Lacazette and possibly Eddie Nketiah with both players’ contracts expiring at the end of this campaign.
Manchester City ’s Gabriel Jesus does look to be the club’s number one target, however it’s understood that the Blues are asking for a reported £55million for the forward who has just one year left on his current deal.
There’s every chance that valuation in the context of his contract could put Arsenal off, meaning they’ll be looking to pursue other options. Therefore Mirror Football has highlighted five alternative strikers the Gunners could target this summer instead.
Gianluca Scamacca - Sassuolo - 23
Scamacca took some time to establish himself at senior level, which is why he’s perhaps not spoken about as often as other exciting young forwards on the continent. However, the past 18 months have been a real breakout period for the Sassuolo man.
Last season he netted 12 goals and secured a further two assists whilst out on loan at Genoa. He’s kicked on again this season back at Sassuolo, scoring a very impressive 16 league goals - only six players under the age of 25 from across Europe’s top five leagues have scored more.
Beyond his ability to score goals, he’s a willing runner into channels, a threat playing on the shoulder and can link well with teammates around him, all things that tick plenty of boxes from an Arsenal point of view.
Jonathan David - Lille - 22
David initially rose to prominence at Gent, playing predominantly in an attacking midfield role. In just two seasons for the Belgian side, he scored 37 goals while registering a further 15 assists. His performances in that time put him on the radar of a number of big European clubs, and it was eventually Lille who made the move in the summer of 2020. The Canadian now plays almost exclusively as a striker.
He’s already been heavily linked with Arsenal in recent months, and it’s easy to see why. As a player, he is excellent in between the lines, able to link attacks and be a facilitator for teammates around him. However, he is above all else a dangerous and efficient finisher - the 22-year-old has scored an impressive 15 league goals this season.
Victor Osimhen - Napoli - 23
Osmihen is another already being linked with a move to the Emirates after thriving in Serie A with Napoli, scoring an impressive 28 goals across 61 appearances for Gli Azzurri.
There are other appealing facets to his game beyond just the goals though, and one of these is his size.
He stands at 6ft1 and has an outstanding leap on him, making him a real asset from set-pieces and crossing situations. He’s also extremely mobile despite his size, great at leading a line or making selfless runs into the channels to create spaces for others.
Taiwo Awoniyi - Union Berlin - 24
Awoniyi does have experience in England, having formerly been on Liverpool ’s books. It didn’t quite work out for the Nigerian international on Merseyside, however, he’s enjoyed life in Germany, making his initial loan a permanent transfer only last summer.
As a profile, he’s big, strong, holds the ball up well, but most importantly he has a real eye for goal. He’s scored 20 Bundesliga goals in his two seasons with Union, 15 of which came this season.
Now boasting a potential ceiling that’s much higher than many people initially expected, a move back to the Premier League could one day beckon.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin - Everton - 25
The 25-year-old is contracted at Goodison Park until 2025, meaning his signature wouldn’t come cheap. However, he’d be a more than worthwhile investment.
Since signing for the Toffees in 2016, Calvert-Lewin has been steadily developing year on year into a top well-rounded centre-forward. The England international scored 21 goals last season, 16 of which have come in the league. And strikingly none of his 16 strikes came via the penalty spot.
He’s spent most of this season sidelined with a thigh injury, yet he reminded everyone of his abilities on Thursday night when he scored a fantastic diving header to complete a remarkable 3-2 turnaround for Everton against Crystal Palace - sealing their Premier League safety.
