Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney and Dusan Vlahovic are on Arsenal transfer radar
Arsenal need to spend a significant wedge of cash to sign a new world-class centre forward in January if they are to have any chance of overcoming Manchester City to Premier League title glory, Robbie Savage has told TEAMtalk.
The Gunners moved back to the top of the Premier League this weekend after a hard-fought 1-0 win at Brenford, coupled with the failure to win of Tottenham, who lost at home to Aston Villa, together with Man City and Liverpool, who played out a 1-1 draw at the Etihad.
That victory – and subsequent rise to the summit – has sparked fresh hope among supporters that this could finally be their year, having come so close to ending City’s long period of domination last season.
Ultimately, the Arsenal squad last season just ran out of steam with Guardiola’s unrelentess machine ultimately overhauling them by just five points.
But knowing that by winning just one of the two games they lost last season to City would have seen the title heading to north London, rather than Manchester, hopes have been grown that a 20-year wait to be champions could end in 2024.
Despite the optimism, Planet Sport ambassador Robbie Savage reckons the Gunners are still one player short of pipping City to the post.
Asked by Emma Jones who Arsenal need to sign in January if they are to have any chance of dethroning City, Savage has named the three players he would like Mikel Arteta and Co to target.
Arsenal told to go out and sign one of three striker targets
And, like so many of his peers, he thinks Arsenal need a reliable source of goals up front if they are to close that gap.
City of course can always rely on Erling Haaland, while Liverpool have Mo Salah, albeit off the wing, and Savage, despite being a fan of what Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah offer to Arsenal, may need to look for an upgrade.
“I do think Arsenal have two very good centre forwards in Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but I just think a new striker to add to that competition, and one who can get a guaranteed 20 to 25 goals a season, would make all the difference to them,” Savage told TEAMtalk.
“From the Premier League, you’re looking at [Ivan] Toney from Brentford, and beyond that, [Dusan] Vlahovic of Juventus and [Victor] Osimhen from Napoli.
“Arsenal need to be looking at the three of them and saying ‘do you know what, if we add one of those to our team, they can add another 20 goals-plus to our side over a season’. It could make all the difference….
“Those three, I think, can do that [for Arsenal]. Toney’s proven he can do that for Brentford and is a low-risk signing for me as he can already do it in the Premier League.
“Vlahovic and Osimhen, they’re two other proven options – what a player Osimhen is, by the way (!) – and if I were at Arsenal in charge of their transfers, those are the three names I’d be giving to the board.”
Edu urged to challenge Arsenal board to sign new striker
Asked whether a January deal is possible for any, Savage replied: “It’ll be hard, but I’d be pushing the club to get one of them in.
“Edu needs to challenge the club to try get one of them in and whether such a deal in January is possible.
“Yes, January might be a tough ask, but looking ahead to the summer, I think those three names are the players they need to target for next season and beyond.”
Any deal for Osimhem would likely shatter Arsenal’s transfer record, currently set at the £105m paid for Declan Rice.
Toney and Vlahovic, meanwhile, both look likely to stay put in January after recent revelations over their futures.
