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Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal currently find themselves in a comfortable position in the Premier League top-four race. They bounced back from their defeat against Liverpool with a solid 1-0 win over Crystal Palace last weekend.
Arsenal, who are fourth in the Premier League standings, have a three-point lead over fifth-placed Tottenham Hotspur with a game in hand.
Everything seems to be going well for Arteta and co. But the north Londoners cannot afford to be complacent with the players they have, especially in attack.
Both Arsenal strikers Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah are out of contract next summer, meaning they desperately need reinforcements up front. The Premier League outfit tried to remedy the situation by signing then-Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic in January, according to Football.London. But the Serbian international instead joined Juventus.
Irrespective of where they finish in the Premier League this season, the Gunners are likely to sign an attacker or two in the summer. Today, we will take a quick look at their prospects and how they might impact proceedings at the Emirates Stadium.
Here are five forwards the Gunners could sign this summer:
#5 Jonathan David – Lille
Arsenal have long been linked with Lille forward Jonathan David, according to the Express. The Canada international is quick, knows how to put his boot through, and is excellent at holding the ball up for his teammates.
The striker, who won the Ligue 1 title with Lille last season, has scored 17 goals across all competitions in the ongoing campaign. He is currently the fourth-leading goalscorer in Ligue 1 this season with 13 goals to his name.
The Canadian sharpshooter will be available for transfer this summer (via Get French Football News), and the Londoners are likely to pounce. According to the aforementioned Express report, the 22-year-old forward could be available for a price of €45-55m.
The report also states that the player will not sign for a non-Champions League club, which should give the Gunners extra incentive for a top-four finish.
#4 Darwin Nunez – Benfica
Darwin Nunez is another budding youngster who is being linked with Mikel Arteta’s side, according to Football.London. Arsenal’s technical director, Edu, is reportedly fond of the Benfica forward and wants to bring him to the Emirates this summer.
Nunez has been in blistering form this season, scoring 20 goals in the Primeira Liga alone. He also scored the only goal in Benfica’s Champions League Round of 16 second-leg victory over Ajax, which knocked the Dutch side out of the tournament.
On his podcast, Fabrizio Romano (via Football.London) confirmed that the Gunners made contact with his agent in January.
The move did not happen in the winter transfer window, but it could materialize in the summer, as Nunez remains eager to play for a Champions League club.
#3 Alexander Isak – Real Sociedad
Arsenal’s hunt for a capable forward could take them to the Basque Country, more specifically to Real Sociedad. The La Liga top-four aspirants have a capable striker in the form of Alexander Isak. And the Gunners are interested (via Sport) in securing his services.
Isak, who joined Sociedad from Borussia Dortmund in 2019, is a versatile striker. Alongside scoring goals, Isak heavily contributes to the build-up play and isn't shy of doing the dirty work.
Given how dynamic Mikel Arteta’s system is, getting Isak could do them a world of good.
As per the aforementioned source, the north Londoners have enquired about a possible summer move. However, they have clarified that they will not match Sociedad’s £76million release clause for the 22-year-old.
Isak, personally, supposedly has a soft spot for Barcelona, but Sociedad might prefer to sell him to a foreign club rather than a domestic rival.
#2 Luka Jovic – Real Madrid
La Liga giants Real Madrid roped in Luka Jovic from Eintracht Frankfurt for €63 million in the summer of 2019. Signed to provide Karim Benzema with some competition up front, Jovic hasn’t lived up to the billing. He has rarely made an appearance in an important match for Los Blancos.
The Serbian sharpshooter has played in only 49 games for Real Madrid so far, registering only three goals and four assists.
As per Marca, Jovic is frustrated with the lack of game time under Carlo Ancelotti and is looking for a way out. Unless something unexpected takes place, the former Frankfurt star will leave the club in the summer. Fichajes reports that Arsenal are one of the many clubs keeping tabs on the player.
Jovic does not necessarily fit Mikel Arteta’s mold at Arsenal, as he does not bring much else to the table other than goalscoring. However, if deployed properly, Jovic’s directness could prove to be pivotal against gritty opponents.
#1 Paulo Dybala – Juventus
Last but not least, we have one of the hottest upcoming free agents in the world, Paulo Dybala.
Out of contract in the summer, Dybala is set to leave Juventus in search of greener pastures (via Fabrizio Romano) at the end of the season. The Argentine excels as a second-striker, meaning he could easily emerge as the Gunners’ go-to man down the middle.
He has an excellent work rate, knows how to shoot from range, and has a knack for stepping up in big games.
As per 90min, Arsenal alongside four other Premier League clubs, are in open dialog with the player's entourage. Eight years back, the then-Palermo player himself admitted (via Mirror) that it would be 'great' to move to Arsenal and play in the Premier League.
Nothing materialized at the time, but it would be foolish to assume the same outcome this time around as well.
