The bold £166m Arsenal double transfer deal that could see Gunners finally end title drought

In the end, it was two points. It might as well have been two hundred. Arsenal, despite their admirable and sustained efforts, are not Premier League champions. You can point to the stumble against Aston Villa last month, or that baffling week between Christmas and New Year where they lost to West Ham and Fulham in quick succession, or even to any one of the five draws they recorded in the top flight this season as the smoking gun, but the outcome remains the same; Mikel Arteta’s men have come up short. Again.

And with disappointment comes the likelihood of a summer rebuild. Or, at the very least, a certain measure of tinkering and reinforcement. For all of their improvement in recent times, Arsenal are still lacking in a couple of key areas, and you would imagine that they will make it their priority to amend those flaws over the coming weeks and months.

Perhaps the most obvious position in need of strengthening is the point of attack. Neither Gabriel Jesus or Eddie Nketiah gives the impression of being the predatory centre forward capable of single-handedly firing the Gunners to a title, and you suspect that an illustrious striker could go a long way towards closing that niggling gap with Manchester City.

Plenty of names have been mentioned in recent months, but the one that continues to stick around is that of Sporting CP hitman Viktor Gyokeres. The Swede has only been in Portugal for a year, but his return has been nothing short of sublime, and with 43 goals and 15 assists in 49 outings this season, there are few strikers who can claim to be as prolific as he currently is.

That electric form is reflected in his £86 million release clause, but if Arsenal are serious about bringing in a proper, proven goalscorer, then they are going to have spend big regardless. Powerful, lethal, and only just entering his prime, Gyokeres could well be the man for Arteta.

But he wouldn’t be the only signing that the Spaniard yearns for. Arsenal are also expected to bolster their midfield this summer, although their options in that regard are not quite as straightforward. Douglas Luiz has been a long term target, but the likelihood of him leaving Aston Villa has drastically reduced since Unai Emery’s men forced their way into the Champions League next season. Then there is Martin Zubamendi, another frequently linked name, but one who is said to be happy at Real Sociedad, and ultimately intent on reconvening with former manager Xabi Alonso at some point in the relatively near future.

That could ultimately force Arsenal’s hand into a pursuit of Newcastle United talisman Bruno Guimaraes. By no means is that a bad thing, of course, especially given the impact that the Brazilian has had on the Premier League ever since arriving on Tyneside, but with the Magpies reportedly unwilling to entertain any offers lower than £80 million, he - like Gyokeres - would not come cheap.

That being said, the fact that Newcastle would consider a sale at all represents an opening that few could have predicted, and as with the Swedish striker, pedigree is always going to cost.

Ultimately, Arsenal have to look at where they’re at, where they’re trying to get to, and weigh up how much they are willing to spend to get there. For a combined £166 million, Gyokeres and Guimaraes could very well turn them into a Premier League-winning outfit. Some would argue that is a price worth paying.