In terms of the profile of striker who would fit the most neatly into the system Arteta has constructed at the Emirates, the prospective centre-forward would share many traits with Jesus and Havertz, two players who have had mixed results at the point of the Gunners’ attack last term.
A high level of athleticism and the energy and discipline to lead the team in a high press is crucial in the out-of-possession phase. With the ball, any incoming Arsenal striker would ideally be able to drop off the front line to link with Martin Odegaard and Declan Rice in midfield and possess the creativity to conjure scoring opportunities for Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli coming inside from the wings.
If Arsenal’s next No.9 can tick all those boxes while also being a more reliable finisher than Jesus and Havertz, they’ll represent exactly the type of upgrade Arteta needs – think prime Roberto Firmino at Liverpool.
Napoli’s Osimhen, who joined Galatasaray on loan late in the summer window after failing to secure a Premier League switch, does not tick all of those boxes. He is not a Firmino-esque facilitator. He is not as nuanced a pressing leader as Havertz. He does not often drift deep to augment the midfield.
He is, however, one of the best goal-scorers in world football and the kind of talent that could transform Arsenal’s attack with what he is good at – putting the ball in the net, something he done 76 times in 133 appearances for Napoli.
Signing Osimhen would not be cheap. The Nigerian still has a £113million release clause in his contract at the Stadio San Paolo but it’s now thought that Napoli are potentially looking to sell for less than half that figure in January for a player who will be out of contract in the summer of 2026.
Competition for his signature will be stiff though, with Chelsea long-time admirers of the 25-year-old former Lille star.
Adding Osimhen to Arteta’s attack would require some recalibration, with the likes of Saka and Martinelli needing to adapt to roles that emphasise creativity over scoring. It would be more than worth the rethink, though. Osimhen’s elite movement, instinctive finishing, powerful strike and aerial prowess would level-up Arsenal’s attack more than any other realistic target.
Benjamin Sesko
Another player who emerged over the summer as a potential target was RB Leipzig frontman Sesko, who is making a massive name for himself in Germany.
Arsenal have already been warned that any fresh move to sign Sesko next summer will cost them significantly more than initially expected after it was revealed that Edu had already failed with an “important financial offer” for the Slovenia international.
The 21-year-old moved to Leipzig in the summer of 2023, joining from sister club RB Salzburg for a fee in the region of €24m (£20m, $26.6m) – a price which already looks a bargain and with Sesko having scored 18 times in 42 appearances across his debut campaign.
In terms of his playing style, 6ft 4in Sesko is a major threat in the air, has pace to burn, is two-footed and also has great technique with an eye for the spectacular. There have also been comparisons with Manchester City’s lethal forward Erling Haaland, who he succeded at RB Salzburg, which can surely only be a good thing.
Sesko did pen a new deal with Leipzig over the summer which runs until 2029 and it’s now reported that his price tag could go up to as much as €70-80m (up to £66.6m, $88.5m).
In that event, a January move could be a slightly cheaper way to go for Arsenal, who remain big admirers of Sesko and continue to keep a close watch on his progress.
Viktor Gyokeres
Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres is another option who’d fit seamlessly into Arsenal’s frontline while also offering huge upgrade in terms of finishing quality.
The 26-year-old Sporting CP striker is something of a late bloomer, having made just eight appearances in four years with Brighton earlier in his career, bouncing around between loan moves before finding his feet with Coventry City in the Championship.
He scored 40 goals in two seasons with the Sky Blues and then joined Sporting last summer, with whom he has enjoyed a breakout campaign, scoring 41 goals in all competitions to fire Ruben Amorim’s side to a league title.
Gyokeres is about more than goals, though. He also provided 15 assists in all competitions last season and dynamic dribbling skills, with the ability to lead counter-attacks by carrying the ball forward at speed.
The lethal frontman has also started the new campaign in spectacular fashion, scoring 11 goals in 10 games in all competitions.
Arsenal will not have it all their own way though, should they pursue a deal for Gyokeres, with north London rivals Tottenham also massive admirers of his qualities.
Alexander Isak
Less of a stylistic fit for Arsenal than either Sesko or Gyokeres, Newcastle United star Alexander Isak is nonetheless still said to be on Arteta’s radar.
The Swedish scorer proved himself to be one of the top strikers in the Premier League last season, scoring 21 times, and he has developed a skillset reminiscent of a former Gunners icon.
His pace, athleticism and unerring finishing has drawn comparisons to Thierry Henry, but Isak lacks the Frenchman’s ability to create for others, with just two assists to his name in the league last term.
However, for his speed, the impeccable timing of his bursts behind opposition defences and his coolness when one-on-one with goalkeepers, Isak recalls images of a young Nicolas Anelka.
And with his 21 Premier League goals last season, the Newcastle man has also shown a broad range of finishing techniques similar to the player the Gunners sold to Real Madrid for £23 million in 1999. He is comfortable opening up his body to slot into the far corner from the left side of the penalty area, able to drive across goal from the right and capable of rounding a stranded shot-stopper one-v-one or dinking a delicate chip.
Newcastle will be hugely resistant to losing Isak, whom they signed from Real Sociedad for a club-record £64million two years ago. However, the Premier League’s Profit & Sustainability rules continue to hover over them and could still lead to a massive sale either in January or next summer.
Santiago Gimenez
A major target for Premier League clubs and even Real Madrid over the last 18 months, Santiago Gimenez has posted an impressive scoring record over his two and a bit seasons with Feyenoord.
A return of 23 goals for the 2022-23 campaign was improved upon this season with 26, including 23 in 30 Eredivisie appearances. He also started the current campaign in a similar vein with four in seven outings.
The 23-year-old former Cruz Azul player is a well-rounded centre-forward, too, providing six assists in the league and a proficient finisher off either foot or with his head.
Consistency has been an issue for the Mexican this season, though. A hot streak at last campaign’s outset saw him score 15 goals by late October. But his productivity dropped after, with a seven-game scoreless stretch between January and February and a six-game drought between April and May.
And Arsenal might be reticent to fork out the €50million fee Feyenoord are demanding for Gimenez given the hit-and-miss track record of attacking players who’ve transitioned from the Eredivisie to the Premier League down the years. For every Ruud van Nistelrooy, there’s a Mateja Kezman or Vincent Janssen; for every Robin van Persie an Alireza Jahanbakhsh.
There is also the added complication of Gimenez suffering a thigh injury in the Champions League which is expected to rule him out until last December, meaning any January move will be a gamble over his fitness.
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