Arsenal will move for a striker in the summer, perhaps even two forwards. The Gunners have been linked to a whole host of players for the roles to replace the already departed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and the soon to follow Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah.
Arsenal need to take the position to the next level and find a player or two who can elevate them into becoming established Champions League participants with a view to potential title challengers in the years to come.
Looking at ten of the possible options, they have been ranked based upon a number of factors including quality, price, familiarity and experience, style, potential and character. Although ultimately this is purely an opinionated look at what is on offer.
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10. Ivan Toney
The Brentford striker has coped better with the step up from the Championship compared to plenty of other players. He has shown comfortability in helping Brentford survive their first season in the Premier League.
A tall, pacey forward, Ivan Toney holds plenty of characteristics I would want Arsenal to acquire. The reason why he features no higher than 10th is related to his attitude toward the Bees. On more than one occasion the forward has been videoed disrespecting his current club.
On pure footballing ability, he would perhaps be higher. However, I cannot look past this issue and therefore have put him tenth on this list.
9. Joao Felix
The Atletico Madrid forward is a talented player no doubt. Joao Felix has had a season which has certainly improved his reputation in the Atletico side but remains unable to fulfil the potential that saw him earn a €100m-plus move from Benfica to replace Antoine Griezmann.
Felix is a curious player but my main issue, that you should brace for being repeated in this list, is his tendency to perform as part of a front two. He partners either Luis Suarez, Angel Correa or Griezmann in Diego Simeone’s team and has rarely featured as a lone number nine. This causes an issue with Arteta unlikely to make a shift of structure.
8. Jonathan David
The same can be said for Jonathan David. What goes against the Canadian featuring higher up on our list is his recent dip in form. He has just the one goal in his last 15 Ligue 1 matches which takes his total for the season to thirteen. The same tally as the title-winning campaign of last year.
David is a player whose pressing abilities are nearly unrivalled. His energy would certainly entertain Arteta’s attention, hence why he ranks above Felix. Yet there are more accomplished and consistent goalscorers available in the market right now.
7. Lautaro Martinez
One such player is Lautaro Martinez whose efforts without Romelu Lukaku have shown this year the Argentine is more than just a sidekick. 16 goals and three assists have aided Inter Milan’s title challenge but again he suffers a similar issue as David and Felix.
Still playing in a two alongside Edin Dzeko for the most part, how he would perform as a number nine in the Premier League is uncertain and adds risk. He, like David, does play centrally and alone for his national side which has raised his stock up this list. However, the price also pulls him back beyond my next pick.
6. Paulo Dybala
Out of contract at the end of the season, Paulo Dybala is a player whose links to Arsenal go way back to when he was a bright young talent at Palermo. The 28-year-old may not have scored as many goals as Lautaro, with eight goals and five assists for Juventus, Dybala ranks higher as his transfer would allow Arsenal to push hard for another quality forward. But this is far from the sole reason.
Dybala has greater versatility than the strikers listed above, able to play striker, second striker, wide forward and even attacking midfield. At 28, he has plenty of experience and has captained Juventus on many occasions too. He would be a great addition to the Arsenal squad and give plenty of the young stars a figurehead to look towards.
5. Tammy Abraham
For many, it is difficult to look past his Chelsea tag. Arsenal have a bad history of players signed from their west London rivals, but this should be put aside when considering Tammy Abraham. His determination to make it at the elite level saw him brave a move abroad, an uncharacteristic switch for an England international.
He has flourished under Jose Mourinho and scored 24 goals this season plus chipping in with five assists. His physical stature and number nine style fit into what Arteta is looking for although could improve in his aerial game still. He is likely to cost a serious fee having only just signed for Roma, but with Chelsea currently unable to activate their buy-back clause, he might cost significantly less than he could have.
A homegrown, Arsenal-supporting and Premier League experienced striker could be exactly what Arteta needs. His profile fits nicely into the Arsenal squad but there are some doubts remaining about whether a move would work.
4. Darwin Nunez
Beyond Dusan Vlahovic, Darwin Nunez is perhaps the most exciting young striker on the continent who is not Erling Haaland. 33 goals in 39 games with another four assists make you wonder why people aren’t just snapping up Benfica’s scouting system at this stage.
He ranks highly on this list, not because of his price, which at €80m is the joint highest on the list, but his present output and the potential that he could bring. Stylistically he suits the club too with what Arsenal lack. Aerial ability and ruthless finishing combine to make him a scary proposition for any defender.
3. Gabriel Jesus
Probably the most likely to arrive from the ten forwards, football.london understands that Jesus is one of the candidates on Mikel Arteta and Edu’s shortlist. The Athletic reported that discussions between Edu and Jesus’ representatives have been ongoing for some time.
The chance for Arsenal to sign a player of a quality level that they get into Manchester City’s team on a regular occasion, scoring goals and creating chances, is too good to turn down. Arteta has previously worked with Gabriel Jesus and knows exactly how to get the best from him. Premier League ready and motivated to become a star at a club, this could be a brilliant piece of business by the club.
2. Victor Osimhen
Our second €80m option is Victor Osimhen. The Nigerian forward encapsulates nearly all the traits that I believe Arsenal need in their marquee striker. An out and out number nine, clinical goalscorer, rapid pace, physical presence and consistency.
Add that into the fact he is still only 23 years of age and the potential that could come from Osimhen is frightening. He has shown in two of the top five leagues that he can be a prolific goalscorer and a move to the Premier League seems a matter of if not when. So why not Arsenal where he can solidify himself as the Gunners’ number nine for the foreseeable future.
Honourable mentions
The fact that I can list off some of the players that failed to make a top ten shows the opportunities on offer to Arsenal this summer. However, it would not have been right not to give a mention to players who have been linked and would be available although have fallen away in their allure.
Dominic Calvert-Lewin has struggled for form and fitness in a relegation battling Everton side. Ollie Watkins has been unable to push on from a promising first season in the top flight and the price tag would not reflect the potential return for Arsenal at present. Alexander Isak has scored just five La Liga goals all season and with a €90m release clause, the Swede would just not make sense for Arsenal now.
1. Patrik Schick
Finally, is the number one and most perfect striker, in my view, to take on the striker position for Arsenal. Only Robert Lewandowski leads Patrik Schick in regard to goals in the Bundesliga this season.
The 26-year-old looks to be a late bloomer and his prior difficulties at Roma and RB Leipzig should not put off people from the power and quality that Schick has proven in the last year. His Euro 2020 heroics for Czech Republic have been followed up by a very strong season with Bayer Leverkusen.
At 26, he is of an age where he has plenty of miles under him and, similar to reasons given behind Dybala, becomes a focal point of guidance for the young players who would be around him. He, unlike others, has that ability to decide a game that isn’t going his side’s way. There’s no doubt Schick can elevate himself into the category of world-class strikers next season if he was to make the move. The challenge is getting him out of Leverkusen who seem very adamant he is not leaving. Succeed and you’ve got yourself one of the elite.
