The Gunners are far from firing on all cylinders and need to bring in extra support to fix their blunt attack before the transfer window shuts

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Article continues below

Article continues below

Arsenal used to be lambasted for their inability to replace former captain Patrick Vieira. Overlooking the fact he was literally one of the best midfielders to ever play the game and couldn't be replaced in the traditional sense, the sentiment centred around the Gunners lack of steel in midfield and was harped on about for years until the £105 million acquisition of Declan Rice.

The world loves to go over-the-top with Arsenal, so it's a little surprising there haven't been calls for them to replace Thierry Henry in similar fashion. The modern-day Gunners have a well-oiled setup but no top-class forward to put the cherry on the cake.

Kai Havertz, signed as a midfielder after all, ought to have been a stop-gap solution, but has extended his stay up front to the detriment of the team, fluffing his lines from point-blank range on several occasions during last week's cup defeats to Newcastle and Manchester United. A longer-term injury to Bukayo Saka means Arsenal must soldier on without their best and most threatening player for at least the next two months, while Gabriel Jesus suffered a suspected ACL rupture against United and now looks certain to miss the rest of the campaign.

If Arsenal are to save their season, they cannot wait until the summer in hope of finding the perfect, 10-out-of-10 striker. Competition for a No.9 is stiff enough as it is and they must at least explore opportunities to steal a march on their rivals.

They are also in need of a more threatening wide forward, too. Even before Saka underwent hamstring surgery, he needed more support from the other flank, with the rotating cast of Gabriel Martinelli, Leandro Trossard and Raheem Sterling not chipping in enough.

There's still a couple of weeks for Arsenal to improve their frontline with outside solutions and they should look to sign at least one player to help carry the load. GOAL has run through the more realistic options on their plate…

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty Images SportViktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)

Viktor Gyokeres might be the only man in football with his face more recognisable when it's masked rather than without obstruction, such is the global fame of his signature goal celebration. He already has 32 goals in 30 appearances for club side Sporting CP this season, plus a further nine in six matches for Sweden.

After scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, all eyes were on Gyokeres when taking on Arsenal a month later, though this time without Ruben Amorim on the touchline after the coach's move to Manchester United. Gyokeres didn't score against the Gunners, but threw himself about and proved enough of a nuisance against one of Europe's best defensive teams to show he would thrive in the Premier League – the biggest red flag against his name is he has zero appearances in a 'top five league' at the age of 26.

Gyokeres' Sporting release clause is believed to be worth around £85m (€100m), but the Portuguese giants are said to be more open-minded to bids of £70m (€83m) in the summer. Theoretically, Arsenal could take that decision out of Sporting's hands by meeting the release clause now, ultimately skipping an ever-increasing queue. A reunion with Amorim at United is becoming all the more conceivable and could seem completely realistic come the end of the season.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

When Arsenal faced a similar striker crossroads midway through the 2021-22 season – one in which their lack of comparative firepower cost them a top-four spot – Dusan Vlahovic was the one who got away, leaving Fiorentina for Juventus instead.

That hasn't come back to haunt the Gunners at least, with the Serbian proving a good-not-great addition in Turin, one perpetually linked with an exit whenever the transfer window re-opens. On this occasion, he is reportedly priced at around £45m (€55m).

In terms of pure output, Vlahovic might not even be too much of a long-term upgrade on Havertz, but as a more natural finisher and an out-and-out nine, there would be a bit more semblance and structure about Arsenal in the final third.

Getty Images SportJhon Duran (Aston Villa)

Jhon Duran's spicy and explosive character may see Arsenal and Arteta steer clear of him, but Aston Villa at least seem to offers, even if they won't necessarily accept them midway through the campaign.

Still only 21 and hardly a year into his time as a first-team regular at Villa Park, it's difficult to assess whether Duran will prove a flash in the pan or someone able to compete at the top level for the next decade and beyond. The case for the latter is his raw ability and athleticism, combined with a punchy self-confidence bordering on arrogance, the want and desire to prove to the world he is the real deal.

Last summer's blatantly public attempt to force through a move to West Ham will make it hard to convince an elite club he is serious with his off-field ways, however.

Getty Images SportAdemola Lookman (Atalanta)

Moving away from centre-forwards to those who come inside from wide areas, Ademola Lookman ticks a lot of boxes for the dynamic inverted winger Arsenal are craving. He lit up last season's Europa League final and downed a seemingly invincible Bayer Leverkusen with a memorable hat-trick in Dublin, before a move to Paris Saint-Germain fell through at the end of the summer window.

Over the autumn, it was claimed Atalanta could be mindful of offers as low as £21m (€25m), but with Gian Piero Gasperini's side now firmly in the Serie A title race, they may not be as receptive. If you're a team like Arsenal who need that sort of player, however, then it's surely worth an ask.

Lookman has bags of Premier League experience and has now found his footing at the top table of footballing forwards, finishing 14th in voting for the 2024 Ballon d'Or – ahead of Arsenal's Martin Odegaard (19th), Saka (21st), William Saliba (24th) and Declan Rice (26th). That's the pedigree the Gunners should be chasing.