Arsenal in talks with €22 million rated striker to bolster attack as Mikel Arteta eyes Premier League title - Reports

Arsenal are reportedly interested in signing Salernitana striker Boulaye Dia and have already made contact with his agent.

The Gunners have had an excellent 2023-24 season so far. They sit second in the Premier League, just a point behind Liverpool, with 11 wins, three draws and two defeats. While they were eliminated from the EFL Cup, they won their UEFA Champions League group.

The north London side appear set to challenge for trophies again this season. However, many fans and pundits have raised questions about the strike partnership of Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah. The duo have scored just 12 goals across competitions between them this season.

Hence, Arsenal are in the market for a striker. As per Italian outlet Il Matino (via Caught Offside), they have identified Boulaye Dia as a potential signing. The Senegal international has scored four goals in 11 Serie A games for Salernitana this season as they sit at the bottom of the standings.

Dia is primarily a centre-forward but can also operate on either wing or as a second striker. He has scored 20 goals and provided six assists in 45 games for Salernitana, having joined them initially on loan from Villarreal in August 2022.

Dia's contract with Salernitana expires in 2026 and as per the aforementioned report, he'll cost around €22 million. Arsenal have already contacted his agent for a potential transfer.

---

Mikel Arteta hoping for a response from Arsenal against Brighton

The Gunners are set to host Brighton & Hove Albion in the Premier League on Sunday, December 17. They come into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa in the league followed by a 1-1 draw at PSV Eindhoven in the UEFA Champions League.

In a pre-match press conference, manager Mikel Arteta was asked about how Arsenal plan to respond after the Villa defeat and he answered (via Arsenal.com):

"We will try to play our best. We love winning and the team is desperate to do anything it takes to win games. We showed that against Aston Villa when, in my opinion, we were the better team and should’ve won the game. We will try again against Brighton, who will make life very difficult for us for sure."

Brighton beat the Gunners 3-0 in the corresponding fixture last season via goals from Julio Enciso, Deniz Undav, and Pervis Estupinan. They are currently eighth in the table, 10 points behind the north London side.