Report: Arsenal could launch bid for 'explosive' £84m striker after getting Riccardo Calafiori signed

Arsenal have one striker high up on their wish list and could make a move for him after they complete the signing of Riccardo Calafiori.

The Gunners were very quiet in the market in June. They just sat back and allowed the clubs affected by PSR to splash the cash and secure their signings.

Since the turn of July, Arsenal have turned David Raya’s loan into a permanent deal, and are now pushing to complete the signing of Calafiori.

Once that’s done, the Premier League runners-up are expected to go after their other targets, and a new striker is expected to be high on the agenda.

A report has now revealed three names the Gunners are targeting.

Arsenal could move for Viktor Gyokeres or two other strikers after Riccardo Calafiori deal

Arsenal are on the market for a new striker in this window.

The Gunners have Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as options up top, but neither player is capable of guaranteeing over 20 goals a season.

The alternative is Eddie Nketiah, but Arsenal are ready to sell him.

Before Euro 2024 began, Mikel Arteta tried to sign Benjamin Sesko but he rejected Arsenal and opted to extend his contract at RB Leipzig instead.

The focus has since been on a new defender, and all signs point towards Calafiori moving to Arsenal in the very near future.

Once that happens, Arsenal are set to explore the striker market, and CaughtOffside have shared three names the Gunners are looking at.

Brentford star Ivan Toney has been named as one of them, while the report has also urged Arsenal fans to keep an eye on Santiago Gimenez of Feyenoord.

However, ‘one of the main names high up on their list’ is Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede, whose speed has been branded as ‘explosive‘, had a stunning campaign in Portugal in the 2023/24 season. He scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists in all competitions and has since become a wanted man.

The problem for Arsenal, however, is Gyokeres’ price tag – his release clause has been set at £84 million (€100m), and Sporting Lisbon are adamant they won’t accept anything less [Goal].

Gyokeres has been compared to a former Tottenham star

Gyokeres would be a fine signing for Arsenal.

Yes, the Swede has never done it in the Premier League before, but he knows English football thanks to his time at Coventry City.

Stylistically, the Sporting Lisbon star is the complete package. He can play with his back to goal as well as run in behind. His numbers also prove that he can both score and assist consistently. To add to that, he possesses ‘explosive speed‘, which is a huge positive.

Gyokeres has even been likened to Harry Kane, who tormented Arsenal for years during his time as a Tottenham Hotspur player.

We think Gyokeres checks a lot of boxes for Arsenal, but whether the Gunners will be ready to pay what’s required to sign him remains to be seen.