ARTETA FINALLY FORWARD THINKING

Gunners boss to make a much-needed striker the priority in the summer transfer window

- BY JOHN CROSS

THE need for a top-level striker has been glaringly obvious to every single Arsenal fan.

And now, finally, the club has woken up to the need to get a centre-forward at all costs this summer.

Incredibly, Arsenal have signed just ONE striker in the past seven years despite spending nearly £700million on new signings during Mikel Arteta’s five-and-a-half year reign.

Gabriel Jesus arrived for £50m from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 and, while Kai Havertz has played up front, he was actually signed as a midfielder.

It highlights a blind spot in Arteta’s vision for his squad and has proved to be the reason why Arsenal have fallen so short this season.

They are determined to get a top quality No.9 and new sporting director Andrea Berta has been charged with delivering a centre-forward to get the goals needed to deliver trophies.

Sporting Lisbon striker Viktor Gyokeres is high on their shortlist while Arteta remains a huge admirer of Newcastle's Alexander Isak. RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is also a long-term target.