Strikers wey fit be 'final piece of Arsenal jigsaw'

Arsenal Premier League title challenge be like say e don end dis season, even if manager Mikel Arteta no wan gree publicly.

Di second-placed Gunners dey 13 points below leaders Liverpool after a goalless draw at Nottingham Forest again see di conversation centre mainly around dia lack of striking options.

In dia past two Premier League matches, Arsenal don get 33 shots, but just three on target and no goals.

Dis na di first time since May 2023 dem don fail to score in back-to-back league games, wit midfielder Mikel Merino forced to play up front due to having no available strikers.

Arteta say: "We dominate di game. We try in many different ways. We insist but lack dat spark, dat final pass to unlock a well-organised team. We gatz generate more shots on target."

While injuries neva to forwards Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz neva help Arsenal, e be like say dem go wan begin step up dia search for a goalscorer in di summer.

Former Gunners goalkeeper David Seaman, wen e tok on BBC Radio 5 Live admit say: "We always Dey in need of a striker. We try during di transfer window and now hopefully one dey lined up in di summer, but dat go dey a bit too late.

"E go be di final piece of di jigsaw. Dat go hopefully be wetin go make (winning di title) happen next season."

But wit Premier League rivals Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham and Aston Villa also likely to dey in di market for a striker dis summer, finding dat missing piece no go dey easy for Arsenal.

Hia na some options of forwards wey dey likely to dominate di transfer market dis summer...

Jonathan David (Lille)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 36. Goals: 20. Assists: 9. Minutes per goal: 146.

Lille striker Jonathan David na currently di third-top scorer for France Ligue 1 wit 12 goals from 21 matches as well as eight goals in di Champions League qualifying rounds and league phase.

Di 25-year-old Canada international dey expected to be one of di most in-demand players in di summer with im current deal expiring at di end of dis season.

Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 28. Goals: 10. Assists: 2. Minutes per goal: 206.

England Under-21 striker Liam Delap dem be a big hit for Ipswich Town since im move for an initial fee of £15m from Manchester City in di summer, scoring 10 goals for di Premier League, despite say im club dey struggle for di wrong end of di table.

If dem dey relegated, Ipswich no go dey short of offers in di summer to sign dia main forward.

Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 37. Goals: 35. Assists: 8. Minutes per goal: 84.

One of two Swedish strikers on dis list, former Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres dey in fine form for Portuguese side Sporting dis season.

Di 26-year-old dey linked wit a move to Manchester United, wey go am reunite wit former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim, but im goalscoring record dey attract clubs from across Europe.

Im contract reportedly get a release clause of 100m euros (£83.1m).

Alexander Isak (Newcastle United)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 30. Goals: 21. Assists: 5. Minutes per goal: 113.

Sweden international Alexander Isak na one of di stars of di Premier League season and play a vital role in getting Newcastle to di final of di Carabao Cup.

Newcastle jobsure weda dem wan sell di 25-year-old, wey don become di seventh-fastest player to reach 50 Premier League goals.

But im go look to leave if im side miss out on European football, as dem bin do for dis campaign?

Jean-Philippe Mateta (Crystal Palace)

2024-25 stats (league only). Appearances: 32. Goals: 15. Assists: 3. Minutes per goal: 169.

Crystal Palace Jean-Philippe Mateta dey enjoy a fine season and na man wey dey in form with eight goals in nine games in 2025.

Earlier dis month on Match of di Day, former Arsenal winger Theo Walcott say e hope di 27-year-old go move to di Gunners and say: "Mateta dey play wit so much confidence. E always be a threat and dey constantly on di move.

"E like to start di press and di connection e get with di players behind am dey so key."

Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray, on loan from Napoli)

2024-25 stats (league only). Appearances: 26. Goals: 20. Assists: 5. Minutes per goal: 100.

In 2022-23, Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen help Napoli win dia first Italian title since 1990.

E look set to leave di club last summer on a permanent transfer but e go on loan to Turkish side Galatasaray, wia di 26-year-old don dey in prolific form.

Among im goals dis season na a double for im side dia 3-2 Europa League win over Tottenham in November.

Mateo Retegui (Atalanta)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 37. Goals: 24. Assists: 5. Minutes per goal: 93.

Italy international striker Mateo Retegui na di top scorer in Serie A with 21 goals for Atalanta in 2024-25.

Di 25-year-old don play in di Champions League for im side dis season and don dey linked wit a Premier League move dis summer, with Arsenal and Manchester United among those wey reportedly dey interested.

Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 33. Goals: 17. Assists: 5. Minutes per goal: 141.

Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko for long dey linked with a move to di Premier League as e continue to rapidly build im reputation at RB Leipzig.

Di 21-year-old dey 6ft 5in and no go come cheap as e sign a new long-term deal with di German side in di summer.

Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 32. Goals: 14. Assists: 2. Minutes per goal: 160.

Serbia striker Dusan Vlahovic, wey im contract still dey run until June 2026, na anoda big target man wey dey linked with a move to di Premier League for a long time.

Di 25-year-old dey 6ft 3in and dey enjoy anoda fine season in Italy with Juventus, wey don sign am in January 2022, wen Arsenal miss out on di forward.

Vlahovic also score wen Juventus beat Manchester City 2-0 for dia Champions League tie in December.

Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

2024-25 stats (all competitions). Appearances: 37. Goals: 13. Assists: 10. Minutes per goal: 200.

Arsenal make a late bid for England striker Ollie Watkins in di final few days of di winter transfer window with Aston Villa refusing di reported £40m offer.

Villa dey in di last 16 of di Champions League, but only 10th in di Premier League table and if Unai Emery side fail to qualify for Europe then di Gunners fit consider anoda move for di 29-year-old.