Arsenal told to break bank for £280m trio who can help wrestle title from Man City grasp

Arsenal have been told they need to spend serious money on signing a new striker this summer if they want to finally dethrone Manchester City as Premier League champions – though two pundits are torn on which of three signings Mikel Arteta should break the bank for.

It’s been another season of progress for the Gunners who finished the campaign as Premier League runners-up to the seemingly-indomitable Man City for the second season in a row. However, having won 89 points – five more than last season – and in taking the title race down to the final day, as well as reaching the Champions League quarter-finals, Arsenal can feel satisfied at the strides they have made.

However, Arteta and Co know they will need to add further quality still if they are to  close that gap further and maybe, just maybe, end the cycle of title domination Pep Guardiola has enjoyed at the Etihad Stadium.

To that end, planning has already begun at how Arsenal can go one better next season and ensure, what is shaping up to be Pep Guardiola’s final season in charge of the Blues, ends with his four-year reign as champion of England coming to a halt.

As a result, we understand Arsenal are setting their sights on three big-name signings to boost their squad this summer, with a new left-sided defender a midfield partner for Declan Rice and a new striker very much in their thinking.

IN DEPTH 👉 Arsenal striker targets: EVERY option linked for the summer 2024 transfer window

In terms of adding a new No 9, the Gunners have looked long and hard at a number of big-name options who can become a much more reliable source of goals than their current options in Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah.

Arsenal told to break bank to sign Alexander Isak

Jesus (eight in 36 appearances) and Nketiah (six in 37) were not exactly prolific and were outscored by several other players at Emirates this season, including Bukayo Saka (16), Kai Havertz (13) and Leandro Trossard (12), while midfielder Martin Odegaard (eight) was able to match them.

To that end, the Gunners have been weighing up the merits of the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Joshua Zirkzee, Benjamin Sesko and Ivan Toney for much of the year.

However, in recent weeks they have also been strongly linked with a move for Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, with the Swede enjoying an excellent campaign in front of goal and having scored 25 times in 40 appearances.

Any deal for the 24-year-old would not come cheap, though a former Premier League chief executive has informed the Gunners of the price it would take to convince Newcastle to sell their £63m signing from Real Sociedad.

Despite the reported costs involved, Planet Sport ambassador Robbie Savage believes a move for Isak would be ideal for Arteta and his capture would take the Gunners to another level.

Asked who Arsenal should sign this summer, Savage told BBC Radio 5: “A number nine, yeah I’m with you. A number nine, an out and out goalscorer, I’d go for Isak from Newcastle for me personally, 21 goals he’s a really good striker and [Victor] Osimhen he’s a very good striker too.”

Legendary star believes Arsenal can push for Osimhen signing

Any deal for Osimhen would cost equally as much, if not more, with the Napoli marksman already regarded as one of the best centre forwards in world football at this present time.

Having scored 76 goals in 132 games for the Serie A giants, there are few around more prolific than the Nigerian and, while the clause in his deal is set at around the €120m mark (£102.4m), Arsenal double winner Emmanuel Petit believes a deal is indeed there to be done for the Gunners.

“I think Arsenal need a 30-goal striker to finally win the Premier League and that man could be Victor Osimhen, who has been amazing with Lille then Napoli,” Petit told BoyleSports. “His dream is to come to England and he could be brilliant here. He’s physically so strong and is an out and out number nine, so he’d be my first choice.”

DON’T MISS 👉 The world-class XI Arsenal could field next season if Arteta lands top midfield, striker targets

Petit also reckons Marcus Rashford could be another great fit for the Gunners, amid claims he could be put up for sale for a fee of around £80m after failing to hit the heights expected of him in the 2023/24 season – form which has ultimately cost him a place in the England squad.

‌”I also think Rashford would be a great addition as he can play out wide and up front,” Petit continued. “To compete with Man City, Arsenal need four more players, though. City can bring on five players with incredible quality and right now, Arsenal can’t, so they need to have a busy summer ahead.”

Osimhen hints at Prem move

The prospect of signing Osimhen would certainly excite fans and prove to the doubters that Arsenal are a force to be reckoned with.

Also strongly linked with a move to PSG and Chelsea, the 25-year-old striker has strongly indicated his desires to try his luck in England.

“The EPL is one of the biggest, the best league in the whole world,” Osimhen said earlier this year.

“For me, at Napoli I signed a new contract, I am enjoying my time there. At the end of the season… I already made up my mind. I already know what I want to do with my career. Since I’ve started I’ve been the one taking my own decisions, everything is working out well for me even though I started it didn’t go as well as planned.

“I already had my plan, I already know the next step I want to take. For now I want to finish the season strong, relax with my daughter, think about my life and then come out with the decision I have already made.”