'Arsenal need a striker' - but who could they sign?

Arsenal's exit from the FA Cup connected Sunday, losing connected penalties to 10-man Manchester United, again highlighted a large weakness successful their squad - the deficiency of a satellite people centre-forward.

The Gunners are 2nd successful the Premier League and are associated 3rd apical scorers connected 39 from 20 games.

However, they are lone sixth successful presumption of large accidental conversion complaint each play and eighth since 1 December. And they are the lone broadside successful the apical six to not person a goalscorer successful treble figures.

Kai Havertz, who is playing the centre-forward relation contempt not being a earthy fig nine, is their apical scorer successful the league connected seven.

And their shortcomings successful beforehand of extremity person been ruthlessly exposed successful their past 2 games successful particular.

Arsenal had 23 shots but lone 3 connected people successful their 2-0 League Cup semi-final first-leg decision by Newcastle. They had 7 connected people from 26 shots against Manchester United, with their extremity being a deflected effort from defender Gabriel.

They suffered different wounded stroke to an attacking subordinate successful that game, with Gabriel Jesus, by nary means prolific but astatine slightest much of a earthy acceptable done the cardinal areas, taken disconnected connected a stretcher successful the archetypal half.

Former Arsenal and England guardant Theo Walcott told BBC Sport: "It's similar everyone other has said before. Arsenal request a striker astatine this clip due to the fact that it would person been a wholly antithetic story.

"Arsenal person gone from being a free-flowing guardant line, breathtaking the crowd, to going a spot stale astatine Emirates Stadium. You request players to bash thing otherwise and they haven't got that astatine the moment."

Mikel Arteta has lone 1 won trophy arsenic Arsenal boss, the 2020 FA Cup, and Alan Shearer, the Premier League's all-time grounds scorer, believes the Gunners volition miss retired connected silverware this play if they bash not strengthen.

"I said it astatine the opening of the season, I felt that's what they needed and I deliberation that would perchance outgo them the league not investing successful that position," said Shearer.

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards agreed, adding: "The quality betwixt Arsenal winning the league oregon winning these ties is conscionable a centre-forward.

"It's hard, you can't conscionable spell retired and get a fig nine, there's not that galore successful satellite football."

So who volition Arsenal beryllium looking astatine this transportation window? Here are 9 fig nines they could beryllium after.

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 28. Goals: 17. Assists: 5. Minutes per goal: 133.2.

Lille striker Jonathan David is presently the associated apical goalscorer successful France's Ligue 1 and has netted 4 goals successful this season's Champions League, but could inactive play for the Gunners successful the contention from the knockout phases.

The 24-year-old Canada planetary has been successful good signifier this play and would beryllium 1 of the cheaper options connected this database with his declaration expiring this summer.

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 20. Goals: 8. Assists: 2. Minutes per goal: 183.4.

England Under-21 striker Liam Delap has been a large deed for Ipswich Town since his determination for an archetypal interest of £15m from Manchester City successful the summer, scoring 8 goals.

Former England striker Gary Lineker said helium had been impressed by the 21-year-old and added: "Arsenal could spell for a young, up-and-coming one, due to the fact that erstwhile they're proven you can't get them.

'Delap has got a existent thing astir him."

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 26. Goals: 12. Assists: 0. Minutes per goal: 81.3.

Jhon Duran is different 21-year-old with a agleam future. The Colombia planetary has earned a estimation this twelvemonth arsenic a ace sub for Aston Villa, often coming disconnected the seat to people captious goals.

One of those strikes saw him marque an interaction arsenic a substitute and people the victor successful Villa's 1-0 triumph implicit Bayern Munich successful the Champions League successful October.

He signed a caller semipermanent woody astatine Villa successful October but, with Ollie Watkins the club's main striker, could a large bid tempt the Midlands club?

2024-25 stats (league only). Appearances: 17. Goals: 21. Assists: 2. Minutes per goal: 72.1.

One of 2 Swedish strikers connected this list, Viktor Gyokeres, a erstwhile Coventry City forward, has been successful superb signifier for Portuguese broadside Sporting.

The 26-year-old has been linked with a determination to Manchester United, which would spot him reunited with erstwhile Sporting brag Ruben Amorim, but his goalscoring grounds is attracting clubs from crossed Europe. He reportedly has a merchandise clause successful his declaration of 100m euro (£83.1m).

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 22. Goals: 15. Assists: 4. Minutes per goal: 117.5.

The astir improbable 1 connected the list.

Arsenal witnessed archetypal manus conscionable what Sweden planetary Alexander Isak could bash arsenic helium scored 1 and made 1 successful Newcastle's 2-0 triumph implicit the Gunners successful past week's Carabao Cup semi-final archetypal leg.

Newcastle are adamant they bash not privation to merchantability the 25-year-old, who is 1 of the astir in-form strikers successful Europe with 14 goals successful his past 15 matches successful each competitions.

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 25. Goals: 19. Assists: 11. Minutes per goal: 104.2.

Manchester City are aft the Eintracht Frankfurt striker, who is 2nd successful the Bundesliga goalscoring charts down England skipper Harry Kane.

The 25-year-old Egyptian's stats are awesome and helium has either scored oregon contributed an assistance 30 times already this play successful each competitions, truthful could Arsenal get him to motion for them?

2024-25 stats (league only). Appearances: 13. Goals: 10. Assists: 4. Minutes per goal: 93.2.

Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, 25, helped Napoli triumph the Italian rubric successful 2022-23. He looked acceptable to permission the nine past summertime connected a imperishable transportation but went connected indebtedness to Turkish broadside Galatasaray, wherever helium has been successful prolific form.

Richards felt Osimhen would beryllium cleanable for Arsenal and said: "The 1 I looked astatine arsenic possibly abbreviated word was Osimhen. The problems he's had astatine Napoli, he's been allowed to spell connected indebtedness successful Turkey.

"But he's a proven goalscorer astatine that level, successful the Champions League arsenic well."

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 24. Goals: 12. Assists: 3. Minutes per goal: 140.3.

Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko has agelong been linked with a determination to Arsenal arsenic helium continues to rapidly physique his estimation astatine RB Leipzig.

The 21-year-old is 6ft 5in and would decidedly adhd thing wholly antithetic to the Gunners' existent attacking options. However, helium did motion a caller semipermanent woody with the Germans successful the summer.

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 23. Goals: 12. Assists: 2. Minutes per goal: 156.0.

Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic, whose declaration runs until June 2026, is different large targetman that has been connected Arsenal's radar for a agelong time.

The 24-year-old is 6ft 3in and enjoying different good play successful Italy with Juventus, who had signed him successful January 2022, with the Gunners missing retired connected the forward.