Arsenal’s quest for a first Premier League title since 2004 is already in jeopardy – with the January transfer window coming at the perfect time.
The Gunners are currently six points behind leaders Liverpool at the top of the table, with Arne Slot’s side also enjoying a lead.
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Despite the return of influential captain Martin Odegaard, Arsenal have been inconsistent in the final third and are yet to show their usual freedom of movement.
Arsenal have been accused of relying too much on academy graduate Bukayo Saka, who has nine goals and 13 assists in 24 games in all competitions this season.
The right winger has been directly involved in 15 of the team from north London’s 34 goals scored in 17 Premier League games so far.
But the Hale End star has dealt Arsenal a huge blow after suffering a hamstring injury in Saturday’s 5-1 away win at Crystal Palace, ruling him out until February.
The Gooners were already calling for Mikel Arteta to strengthen his frontline in the new year, but with Saka now having to take a break, this is now crucial if they are to finally clinch the Premier League title for the first time in over time two decades.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, who rotate on the left wing, have scored just once Premier League goals between them.
Meanwhile, Gabriel Jesus – often used as a backup striker behind Kai Havertz – has only scored three top-flight goals in 2024, with his latest brace at Selhurst Park ending an 11-month drought.
As for Raheem Sterling, his loan move from Chelsea hasn’t worked out so far with the England international only able to play 146 minutes in the Premier League spread over six games and the player is now out with a knee injury.
And although Havertz is a popular figure among the club’s fanbase, he is not a lethal slam dunk, with Arsenal known to be in the market for a new No.9 to improve their game.
Here The Pitch Prospect.com takes a look at five players Arsenal could cash in on to boost their title bid after back-to-back second-place finishes.
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Ademola Lookman
The 27-year-old did not achieve the success expected of him in England after coming through Charlton’s academy.
During his spells with Everton, Fulham and Leicester in the Premier League he was somewhat flattered to deceive.
But since moving to the Gewiss Stadium in 2022, he has made a change in Italy at Atalanta, where he is considered one of Serie A’s top wingers.
He has already scored 12 goals this season, having scored 15 and 17 goals across all competitions in his first two seasons in Bergamo.
Arteta would also like his versatility, as Lookman can operate on both wings as well as up top.
Lookman was recently named African Footballer of the Year over Mohamed Salah after his hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final and would be an excellent addition to the Arsenal squad.
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Mohammed Kudus
West Ham’s versatile striker Kudus is another potential option, with Arsenal known to be big admirers of the Ghanaian.
The Gunners have been heavily linked with a push to sign the 24-year-old in 2023, but instead he joined the Hammers from Ajax in a £38million deal.
He proved an instant success at the London Stadium, scoring 18 goals and providing seven assists in his 48 games in his inaugural season.
Kudus has only been involved in five goals this season but has still caught the eye despite the season being disappointing for West Ham so far.
And The Pitch Prospect understands Arsenal could sign the player in January with West Ham prepared to sell him for a hefty profit.
Kudus has an £85m release clause which comes into effect next summer. So Arsenal know they will have to break the bank to secure his services in the new year.
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Marcus Rashford
Having scored six goals against the Gunners, Rashford could well end up scoring them for Arsenal should he leave Manchester United.
The 27-year-old, who has played on both wings and up front this season, is looking for a new adventure following last week’s unveiling he is “ready for a new challenge” ahead of the January transfer window.
The Pitch Prospect understands United are open to offers for the two-time FA Cup winner, who has scored 138 goals in 426 games for the club.
Rashford has been missing from United’s squad for the last three games and all signs point to a January exit.
Arsenal have shown in recent years that they are not afraid of poaching star players from rival clubs, bringing in Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from City, Havertz, Jorginho and Sterling from Chelsea and Declan Rice from West Ham.
Should Arsenal set their sights on Rashford, they would have to compete with three Saudi Arabian clubs, all of whom have expressed interest in signing him.
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Viktor Gyokeres
With Jesus Saka able to cover on the right wing, Arsenal could look to sign a striker instead of a winger next month.
Rumors of a move to Arsenal for the Sporting Lisbon goalscorer are not going away.
No player has scored more goals in 2024 than the Swedish international, who scored a whopping 61 goals for club and country this calendar year – 13 goals more than Erling Haaland.
The 26-year-old is a physical specimen and the striker Arsenal fans are desperate to snap up – despite the club being warned by Troy Deeney he won’t win them the league.
Gyokeres, who combines speed and power with a deadly finish, led Sporting to the Primeira Liga title last season after scoring 43 goals in all competitions.
And he showed what he is capable of at the start of November after scoring a hat-trick against City in a 4-1 Champions League win.
With Gyokeres boasting a release clause of around £85m, there is a chance for Arsenal to sign him – but they know they could face competition from Manchester United.
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Jonathan David
Should Arsenal look to sign a striker to compete with Havertz and are unwilling to pay £85m for Gyokeres, then Lille’s David could be a viable alternative.
While many Gooners may roll their eyes at the Canadian’s suggestion, the 24-year-old has been one of the in-form players this year.
The 2021 Ligue 1 champions have scored a total of 41 goals in 2024 – only Gyokeres, Haaland and Harry Kane have scored more.
He is currently leading the top scorers list in the French top flight with 11 goals – and is now third in the list of Lille’s top scorers with 101 goals.
A cheaper option: David is set to become a free agent in 2025, with Lille likely to accept a lower transfer fee for the player to avoid losing him for nothing.
However, Arsenal may have to act quickly if they want to bring him to the club, with Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan and Napoli all rumored to be interested.
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