The FIVE strikers on Arsenal's summer transfer shortlist

Stuart Telford

• 31 Mar 2023 09:51 CDT
• 4 min read

Arsenal are reportedly in the market for a new striker next summer despite Gabriel Jesus' recent return from injury and with Eddie Nketiah and Folarin Balogun impressing at home and abroad respectively.

Arsenal are top of the Premier League after 28 games played, closing in on a first top-flight title since the 'Invincibles' season under Arsene Wenger in 2004.

Only champions Manchester City, armed with Erling Haaland, have scored more goals than the Gunners this season (67 vs. 66), but Arsenal's have been spread among the team, with wingers Gabriel Martinell (13) and Bukayo Saka (12) bagging the most.

READ: 'Only Messi is better than Saka right now,' claims Arsenal legend

Jesus had hit the ground running following his £45 million arrival from City last summer, but the Brazilian regularly played on the right flank before and five goals and assists each before his knee injury show that he remains just as happy to make chances as he is take them.

In short, Arsenal want a bona fide No.9, and they are reportedly willing to cash in on Balogun - who has scored 17 in 27 on loan with Reims in Ligue 1 this season - to fund it.

"Balogun can play anywhere across the forward line, which makes him an attractive option, however his departure would allow Arsenal to target a more physical striker," report the Evening Standard.

READ: Balogun sparks social media meltdown with Instagram post

Arsenal's five-man shortlist

"The club have scouted players in that mould recently, tracking Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Dusan Vlahovic, Tammy Abraham and Victor Osimhen.

"Arsenal and all of Europe's biggest clubs have taken note of 6'3" striker Rasmus Hojlund, who scored five goals in two games for Denmark last week despite being only 20."

There are varying degrees of competition on the aforementioned player's signatures, with Manchester United also in for Osimhen and Napoli's owner Aurelio De Laurentiis making it abundantly clear he wouldn't accept anything less than €100m for the player.

Atalanta may not be able to demand quite as much for Hojlund, but he is also on Real Madrid's radar as a stylistically similar yet cheaper alternative to Haaland.

That leaves the other three as more likely acquisitions. Calvert-Lewin's and Vlahovic's clubs, Everton and Juventus respectively, are in financial trouble and might need to cash in, while Vlahovic came close to joining Arsenal from Fiorentina the January before last.

Roma don't need to sell Abraham, meanwhile, but the former Chelsea man's goals have slowed down this season, and they moight be willing to sell for around the €61m he is valued at by FootballTransfers' in-house algorithm.