Arsenal are now planning to hold talks over a move for a “superstar” striker, who is now looking increasingly likely to leave his club for a fee of £50m this summer, according to a report.
Arteta’s striker woes at Arsenal
Manchester City’s drop-off this season should have presented the Gunners with a perfect opportunity to win the Premier League title, but with Liverpool now sitting 13 points clear, it looks like they will be finishing in second place once again.
The lack of an out-and-out striker has been a problem all season, with Kai Havertz receiving criticism from the media prior to his season-ending injury, being branded “terrible” by talkSPORT’s Jason Cundy for his performance against Newcastle United.
With Gabriel Jesus also on the sidelines, Mikel Arteta has no fit senior strikers at present, meaning Mikel Merino has been forced to lead the line in recent times, coinciding with some poor results.
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He would solve their biggest problem…
Arsenal have failed to score in their last two games, underlining the need to sign a striker when summer comes around, and they are now starting to take action, according to a report from Caught Offside.
The report states the Gunners are now planning to hold talks over a move for Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic, who will be allowed to leave for €60m (£50m) in the summer, amid a contract stand-off.
The north Londoners are attempting to beat Manchester United to the signing of Vlahovic, with their interest said to be more concrete than their Premier League rivals’.
There are other options in mind, however, with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko set to be considered, while Arteta is also thought to be a big fan of Alexander Isak, although it may be difficult to prise the Swedish forward away from Newcastle United.
“Superstar” Vlahovic may not be the best option
The Belgrade-born striker has been lauded as a “real superstar” by members of the Italian media in the past, and he has a very respectable goal record in the Serie A, during spells with Juventus and Fiorentina.
|
Season |
Appearances |
Goals |
|
2019-20 |
30 |
6 |
|
2020-21 |
37 |
21 |
|
2021-22 |
36 |
24 |
|
2022-23 |
27 |
10 |
|
2023-24 |
33 |
16 |
|
2024-25 |
20 |
9 |
That said, there are doubts over whether the 25-year-old should be Arsenal’s top target, given that Victor Osimhen is set to be available for just £12m extra, and the Lagos-born marksman has an even more impressive goal record in Italy.
Isak would be the dream signing for the Gunners, given that the Newcastle United star is proven in the Premier League, scoring 19 goals this season, but the £120m price tag could be prohibitive.
The one thing that is certain is Arsenal must pursue a deal for a striker this summer, considering their title hopes have dissipated since making the decision not to bring in a new forward during the January transfer window.
