“Absolutely,” he said. “He [Gabriel] has got this ability and the timing and deliveries have been really consistent. Others like Willie [Saliba] have this capacity to score more goals.
“We don’t have 30-40 goals from someone so we need to share them. That is a good quality of the team.”
There are very few players on Earth that can score 30 to 40 goals during a season but the comment from Arteta has sparked intrigue about who, if anyone, could indeed come into the club to deliver the required goal haul. With that in mind, football.london takes a look at three potential strikers that could indeed answer the Spaniard’s dream centre-forward requirement.
Karim Benzema
He has scored 30 or more goals in six seasons during his career, five of which were at Real Madrid with his first when he was with Lyon. Four of those six came in his last five seasons playing in La Liga demonstrating he reached his goalscoring peak when past the typical age of most modern-day strikers.
A move would require a serious wage cut from the Frenchman whose numbers in the Middle East are far outside of Premier League wage budgets. However, a short-term deal could deliver Arteta exactly what he wants.
Victor Osimhen
Perhaps the most realistic option of a striker who has scored more than 30 in a season is Victor Osimhen. Arsenal’s interest in the Nigerian could be made simpler by the release clause inserted into his new contract upwards of £100million.
Last season Osimhen managed 31 goals across all competitions although this season has seen a dip. He has just eight goals from 18 games and is currently away with Nigeria at the African Cup of Nations where he has a goal and an assist in two games.
At 25 years of age, he remains a good investment for the long term however he would need to be a success based on the financial commitment of the deal. Osimhen is sure to be the potential transfer saga of the summer behind one other player on this list.
Kylian Mbappe
That player is indeed Kylian Mbappe who has still yet to decide his future with his contract dwindling down at PSG. He has not committed to a new deal thus far and Real Madrid appear the most obvious option for him to move to next.
However, with there being no transfer fee to consider, perhaps Arsenal could look to swoop in and throw their hat into the ring. Mbappe has scored 30 or more goals in the last five full seasons and is already on 28 in 26 games for the Parisiens this season.
It would be a dream scenario for the Gunners but is by far the least likely. The wages, like Benzema, are astronomical and would be an eye-raiser as the club look to work within Profit and Sustainability Regulations.
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