Arsenal: 5 striker transfer targets eyed to replace Lacazette

As domestic action takes a break from its usual hustle and bustle, the downtime has provided fresh transfer speculation to fill the void. Despite Arsenal undergoing a huge turnover of players in the recent window, there is more to come.

The fruits of the club’s labour are starting to develop. Signing six players widely considered as backup options, only Nuno Tavares can be considered as such due to the high usage of the other five.

Albert Sambi Lokonga was also partly considered as such but due to injuries to Thomas Partey and Granit Xhaka has seen plenty of playing time, and will continue to do so. The rest have also seen minutes aplenty, apart from at striker, where there was no summer movement.

Centre-forward remains an area of the squad that is in need of restructuring. It couldn’t be seen to over the previous window due to an inability to move on both Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah, two players who look destined to depart once the season concludes.

Arsenal have been linked with 5 striker transfer targets in the rumour mill to replace Alexandre Lacazette in Mikel Arteta’s squad

There is scope for one of the two to leave in January. It would be a surprise due to interested parties knowing they can just sit on their hands for six more months and scoop the pair up without a transfer fee, although nothing is out of the question come the winter.

Whatever transpires, Mikel Arteta will be seeking a new centre-forward over the coming eight months to prepare for their departures, also keeping in mind that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is turning 33 years of age come next term.

Links were prevalent throughout the summer with the names of Lautaro Martinez and Tammy Abraham key among them. Sadly for the manager, neither look viable with the former set to pen a new Inter contract and the latter since moving to Roma.

Who else gets the nod in Arsenal’s list? Well, as per the rumour mill there have been a number of names listed, some of whom don’t sound especially realistic and others that can be marked down as good ol’ classic speculation. Don’t shoot the messenger, but here are five doing the rounds.

1. Youssef En Nesyri – Sevilla

Age: 24
Rumoured fee: £38m
Contract expiry: 2025

There are links to Youssef En-Nesyri that have been around since back when the window remained open, as he was marked down as one of the key targets to replace Lacazette before the window slammed shut.

Rumours swirled of Arsenal offering the Frenchman in a form of player plus cash deal for the Morocco international. No deal materialised. Obviously.

As per local Sevilla outlet La Colina de Nervion, Arsenal have had to abandon their swap hopes for rather obvious reasons. Looking at revisiting in January, there is no chance of Sevilla considering such a move with Lacazette able to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with foreign clubs come the winter. That leaves January out of the question.

The interest still remains. For the striker, he wants to be playing Champions League football which will impact his decision, so that’s something of a setback, it’s fair to say.

As for the player, he operates as a central striker with the possibility of interchanging on either wing. With great athleticism and pace he runs the channels aggressively, recording a high volume of high xG shots in the box. That 18-year area is where he is most lethal.

Physically strong he’s also very hard to win the ball from, which is aided by his 6’2″ frame. That is put to good use as he’s superb in the air, both in defensive and attacking situations. Is a decent enough passer of the ball but rarely uses his distribution much in Sevilla’s style.

Continued…

2. Ollie Watkins – Aston Villa

Age: 25
Rumoured fee: A lot
Contract expiry: 2025

Converted from a winger to a striker by Dean Smith during his Brentford days, the rise of Ollie Watkins has been mightily impressive. Hitting ten league goals in each of his first two campaigns with the Bees, he found the net for fun in the 2019/20 season at centre-forward with 25 goals in the Championship, prompting Aston Villa to fork out a fee of up to £33m to sign him.

Hitting a very decent 14 Premier League goals in his first season in the top-flight, England came calling and he’s since made five international appearances, scoring with his first ever shot on target for the Three Lions. And, guess what, he wants to join Arsenal! Well, did.

"“That’s the dream,” Watkins said in 2020. “To play for Arsenal one day, but you know, it’s a long shot”"

As part of a Mark Irwin exclusive, Watkins is on the Gunners’ radar. That radar better have a few bills attached to it though, as while there is no fee mentioned Villa will charge one heck of a premium for him.

As a profile there is a lot to like about Watkins. A superb dribbler, his ability to get into good positions is demonstrated with his 9.08 progressive passes received per 90 (82nd percentile) and carries into the penalty area (85th percentile). Quick with and without the ball, one of the more endearing aspects of his game is the strength in attacking the box from all angles: positioning well between central defenders or attacking channels, there is a diversity to his play.

Does he need to improve his finishing? Only Nicolas Pepe had recorded a higher xG this season without scoring up until Watkins scored against Spurs last time out. But that’s not a concern, his finishing is more than fine.

Players with his movement in transition are hard to come by. Fantastic on the break and brilliant in interchanging around the box, Watkins is an exciting forward.

Continued…

3. Sardar Azmoun – Zenit Saint-Petersburg

Age: 26
Rumoured fee: Very little
Contract expiry: 2022

There we are. It wouldn’t be rumour city unless there was mention of a striker in a league outside the ‘top five’ who most hadn’t have heard of previously.

Enter Sardar Azmoun, who if truly is a target comes with the delightful addition of being able to sign a pre-contract agreement come January. Nice and cheap (free).

As per Onze Mondial (via Sport Witness), the Iranian’s fine form in Russia where he’s netted six goals in his first 12 games of the season has caught the gaze of AC Milan, Arsenal and Roma, as well as having interest from Lyon previously. It does fell an awful lot like a simple name drop for the sake of it, doesn’t it?

Anyway, as a striker, he tends to operate alongside another forward, although he is very capable of being a lone option up top where he is the first line of the press. Often avoiding drifting into wide areas and focusing on being the giant physical presence in central areas, there are 18 yards of space where he thrives. Rarely losing duels, he takes a high percentage of high xG shots, almost always in the penalty area.

Is there any way Arsenal do see him as an option? Well, he’s great at reading crosses and Zenit like whipping in plenty of those.

The Kieran Tierney approach must be back on the menu, eh? Hmm…

Continued…

4. Dusan Vlahovic – Fiorentina

Age: 21
Rumoured fee: £77m
Contract expiry: 2023

Indeed, £77m was the price tag slapped on Dusan Vlahovic by Fiorentina’s president. While he is set to be the target of a fairly comprehensive European signature scramble, that’s still too steep and highly unlikely.

The Serbian is a name near enough everyone is familiar with now. Links to Arsenal have been around for many months, just as they have for other sides, and now La Stampa (via Sport Witness) saw Arsenal have ‘already moved’ for the 21-year-old. What that means is anyone’s guess.

Competition for his signing is fierce with near enough every big hitter in Italian football among the interested parties as well as other major clubs from abroad, almost all of whom boast participation in a certain European competition.

As a profile, Vlahovic suits what Arsenal are after: physical presence, can play with his back to goal, be involved in build-up play, strong in the air and a deadly finisher in the 18-yard box. Putting this season to one side, where Vlahovic hasn’t looked at his best, these are his attributes.

There is no proof of longevity at the top level of football for the Serb, nor is he the quickest of strikers, and the sheer logistical side of having to battle with a series of Champions League clubs and still pay an outrageous amount makes him mostly nonviable.

It’ll be somewhere in Italy for him next. Probably.

Continued…

5. Dominic Calvert-Lewin – Everton

Age: 24
Rumoured fee: £60m+
Contract expiry: 2025

Some resurfacing has emerged as Dominic Calvert-Lewin was someone linked to Arsenal earlier in the summer window by the Telegraph. Here, via the aforementioned Irwin exclusive, he’s back again.

Someone who thrived in Carlo Ancelotti’s wing-back system with one sprinting striker beside him, the Yorkshireman has made himself an England regular with his impressive scoring rates and continued improvements now attracting even more admiring glances.

If this is being framed as a hunt for a Lacazette replacement then the need for someone who can play with his back to goal becomes clear: Calvert-Lewin can do that. Very well, in fact. He is a bully in central areas and has the capacity to dominate defenders aerially and physically, all with the benefit of well-timed runs into the box instead of hanging around in the No. 10 zone and leaving the 18-yard area vacated.

Superb in the air and looking sharper with the ball at his feet, it’s clear the 24-year-old is heading on a trajectory that is going only one direction. Every facet of his game is improving, even if he still thrives on being a very low-touch striker who is always in the right place at the right time.

Crikey, it’d be nice to have someone to aim for at goal kicks who can win the ball with some comfort and deliberately direct into a winnable second ball, wouldn’t it?

Are there areas of concern? The price stands out. He’d cost a fortune. But, he’s quick enough, growing in technical quality, homegrown and is Premier League experienced. While he was his manager, Ancelotti said he has the capacity to be one of ‘the best strikers in England and in Europe’. He knows a thing or two.

Given this interest has come from a few different outlets in recent months, there may well be some legs to it.