Gunners rejoice as there are growing signs that Arsenal are ready to spend big money this summer on a new striker.
The rumour mill has been ablaze that the Gunners could be ready to spend millions on forwards like Dusan Vlahovic, Andre Silva, or even Alexander Isak.
Obviously, it’ll take more than a new striker to fix the problems at the Emirates. While there are plenty of promising youngsters, it’s hard to see how Arsenal can compete when the team is riddled with problem players like Granit Xhaka and David Luiz. But it’s evident that there’s plenty that needs fixing alongside our inability to play out from the back. So what can be done up front to give Mikel Arteta’s team more firepower?
Finding a replacement for Aubameyang
Above all, it’s the weird lapse in form from Pierre Emerick Aubameyang this season that has hurt us most. The 31-year old has bagged just nine goals in 24 appearances in the 2020/21 campaign. This is a mere shadow of the 22 goals that he hit last season.
There are many different theories as to why Aubameyang is having a hard time hitting the back of the net and we’re not just talking about his latest haircut. He had to take a few games off due to family health problems, and he was even dropped to the bench for the West Ham game for disciplinary matters.
There are even those that are suggesting that Aubameyang has lost form due to the protracted contract negotiations that took place last summer. Whatever the reasons, it’s clear that something needs fixing up front.
Alexandre Lacazette is good but will shortly be in his thirties like Aubameyang. Nicolas Pepe shows the occasional flashes of brilliance but has yet to justify that multi-million-pound price tag. Plus Eddie Nketiah looks nowhere near as good as he once promised. So who could be the next striker to take Arsenal up from their mid-table doldrums?
Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
If you want to attract the attention of a big Premier League club, then you’ll need to do something special. Dusan Vlahovic has been doing just this for Fiorentina in the Italian Serie A.
The 21-year old recently rattled off a hat-trick in just 34 minutes in a game against Benevento. West Ham have also expressed an interest in Vlahovic, and the chances are that he’ll be leaving Fiorentina this summer after just three years there.
Vlahovic’s relative youth would work well with Arteta’s philosophy of using young players like Bukayo Saka, Emile Smith Rowe, and Martin Odegaard to regenerate the squad. While many of the bookies featured on this website might not give Arsenal much chance of getting a top-four spot this season, investing in a young star like Vlahovic could help the Gunners over the long term.
Andre Silva (Eintracht Frankfurt)
There is no doubt that it is the hunt for Erling Haaland that will be the big transfer story of the summer. But the young Norwegian isn’t the only star who’s been scoring lots of goals in the Bundesliga. This is because Andre Silva has also bagged 21 Bundesliga goals for his club Eintracht Frankfurt.
The 25-year old has had a pretty topsy turvy career so far. While Silva has picked up lots of goals for Eintracht Frankfurt and Porto, the Portuguese striker had a big-money move to AC Milan where he only scored twice in 24 games. All of which would mean that the pressure would be on should Silva come to the Emirates.
Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad)
This Swedish forward is a great all-round striker. Not only is Isak fast, but he cuts a commanding figure in the box and would bless Arsenal with the aerial ability that has been sadly lacking in recent years.
Isak has picked up a commendable 12 goals in La Liga football this season which is a marked improvement over what he achieved during his stint with Borussia Dortmund. At 21 years of age, Isak also has youth on his side which could help him truly become ‘the next Zlatan’. All of which should spark plenty of interest among the Arsenal faithful.