With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang ostracized from the team and only six months left on the contracts of Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, the highest priority for Arsenal in the January transfer window is to sign a striker.
Arsenal have shown significant improvement under Mikel Arteta throughout this season and currently sit in fourth place in the Premier League, one point above West Ham United in fifth. However, with the arrival of Antonio Conte at Tottenham and Ralf Rangnick in Manchester, the competition for the final Champions League place is likely to go down to the wire, and the Gunners may need to bring some reinforcements in January to strengthen their grip on a Top 4 spot.
Here are three strikers that Arsenal could sign this transfer window to further the team’s evolution under Arteta and help stake their claim as the fourth-best team in the country.
3. Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina)
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Dusan Vlahovic is one of the hottest talents in Europe at the moment, and the Serbian striker has been widely reported as Arsenal’s number one priority at centre forward following his meteoric rise at Fiorentina. Vlahovic has lit up the Serie A in 2021, equalling Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of 33 goals scored in a calendar year.
With only 18 months left on his contract, Fiorentina may be willing to sell the Serbian this January to protect his value, but the Italian club have reportedly set a steep asking price of over €80 million for their prized asset. Although the 21-year-old has all the tools needed to be one of the best strikers in world football, Vlahovic might represent too much of a gamble for Arsenal at that price. Vlahovic is massively overperforming his xG this season, while five of his 16 league goals have come from the penalty spot.
Vlahovic will also need time to adapt to the pace and physicality of Premier League defenders, and considering the numbers involved, there may be better value elsewhere in the market.
2. Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad)
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Another striker that has exploded onto the scene in recent times has been Real Sociedad’s Alexander Isak, who has scored 21 goals in his last two seasons in La Liga. Isak is a rare breed in modern football as a 6’3 striker blessed with electric pace, elite dribbling and technical quality. The Swedish striker also excels at linking up the play, with his ability to drop deep and combine with teammates by making first-time layoffs.
However, there are some flaws to Isak’s game, with the 22-year-old yet to make full use of his physique and frame while also struggling aerially despite his height. While Isak does have some rough edges, the Sociedad striker will add another layer to Arsenal’s attacking potency, making them more dangerous in transition while also lifting the floor of the team on a nightly basis.
However, with a contract that runs up till 2027 in the Basque country, Isak will be incredibly costly for the Gunners, with the 22-year-old having a reported release clause worth €90 million in his current deal.
1. Ivan Toney (Brentford)
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The number one target on Arsenal’s transfer list for the January window should be Brentford forward Ivan Toney. Although Toney hasn’t been as prolific as Isak or Vlahovic this season, he would cost considerably less than his European counterparts while also coming in with ready-made Premier League experience, thereby needing less time to adapt.
Admittedly, the Englishman has only scored four league goals for Brentford all season, but the statistics do not tell the complete picture with regards to the 25-year-old. At Brentford, Toney is surrounded by inferior players and is forced to be the primary creator and goal-threat for the side while also winning duels and acting as an outlet to get the team high up the pitch.
Toney’s true world-class potential is masked by him being on a mediocre side, and when surrounded by much better players at the Emirates, he would be the perfect number nine for Mikel Arteta’s side. Toney excels at holding the ball up and linking the play, which would allow him to work perfectly alongside Arsenal’s wide forwards – Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli – in a 4-2-3-1 or 4-3-3.
Moreover, Toney’s athleticism, predatorial movement in the box and ability to work the ball in tight spaces mean he would be the clinical finisher Arsenal are looking for, embellishing the already burgeoning attack. Although it will be difficult to prise Toney out of Brentford in January, a bid in the region of £30-35 million may be enough to tempt the Bees to sell their talisman.
[Featured Image Credit: Ivan Toney]
Shivaan Shah