Tucked safely away in Edu’s back pocket is a list of names. An expensive menu of footballers who trade on goals and assists. Game-changers.
The Arsenal sporting director, in cahoots with manager Mikel Arteta, has been tasked with upgrading the team’s forward line ahead of next season – Sunday’s fruitless display in the shock 2-0 home loss to Aston Villa merely amplifying their mission to improve at the business end of the pitch.
Who they turn to, however, is dependent on a number of variables. Cost, inevitably, will likely become the most prevalent factor of all. Proven attackers don’t come cheap.
But, interestingly, there is also a decision to be made on the type of forward Arteta targets. For a while it looked certain Arsenal would look to sign a traditional centre-forward in the mould of Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
But more recently they have considered turning their attentions towards a more modern profile of attacker, one whose all-round game and versatility means he can be deployed primarily as a lone striker but also provide an option out wide.
Ollie Watkins capped a fine performance with a goal as Aston Villa beat Arsenal 2-0 at the Emirates on Sunday
Watkins gave William Saliba plenty of problems as he continued his impressive goalscoring form
Arsenal sporting director Edu (centre) wants to bring in a striker this summer, and the club could turn to Watkins
Discussions over how they proceed will accelerate in the coming weeks, particularly given the ongoing injury concerns of Gabriel Jesus – the club’s recognised central forward.
But as exciting as that all sounds, the process will likely leave Edu agitated; the exercise of signing strikers fast becoming one of the most laborious in football recruitment.
Speaking to Mail Sport, one Premier League sporting director highlighted the stark difficulties clubs are facing in search of players who can make the difference.
He stresses that it is not only an issue of cost, but also because there is a shortage of conventional No 9s in European football – a trend that stems from clubs moving towards implementing possession-based philosophies within their academy structures meaning coaches are no longer required to develop central strikers with the same urgency as previous eras.
‘You never see two strikers playing in the same academy starting XI anymore,’ he said. Instead, the focus has shifted towards developing footballers who are comfortable with the ball at their feet, honing technical ability is the priority now.
Certain clubs are taking that remit so seriously they have proactively reduced crossing sessions at academy level.
‘From Under 12’s we don’t want them crossing and heading,’ he added. ‘Most teams across Europe play with a front three, so it’s now about those players averaging out 40 goals a season – not your front two getting 20 each.’
It appears scoring goals is no longer enough. Perhaps Roy Keane was onto something when he described Erling Haaland – who has plundered 88 goals in 87 starts for Manchester City – as a League Two player recently.
It also begs the questions of where the England national team may turn when Harry Kane – arguably the best conventional striker in Europe – calls time on his international career.
Watkins has struggled for game time with England, but may get more chances if Harry Kane calls time on his international career
Gabriel Jesus has got bundles of talent, but his injury problems are a concern for Arsenal
Thankfully, that problem is in the very distant horizon. For Arsenal, though, the issue is immediate. Worryingly, there is no obvious answer.
For example, on Edu’s aforementioned list features the name of Ollie Watkins, the Aston Villa striker who excelled against the Gunners in their own back yard on Sunday. That Watkins is of interest to Arsenal shouldn’t be viewed as some seismic revelation. Of course he is.
A proven Premier League operator; since Villa’s return to the top flight in 2020, Watkins has scored 72 times.
He’s accrued 23 direct assists in that period, too. The numbers speak for themselves. It is entirely normal for a club the size of Arsenal to have taken a shining to Watkins.
But identifying talent is the simple part. In a world where data is king, the players that best fit your team and budget – their stats and attributes – are available to recruitment departments at the touch of a button.
Clubs are scaling back their traditional scouting networks and investing fortunes into analytics as they hunt for new players. Ludonautics – the leading firm that pledges to ‘help sporting organisations improve their decision making capabilities through insightful statistical analysis’ – recently quoted Serie A side Roma up to €3million for the use of their expert systems.
Knowing which player to go for isn’t the problem facing Edu, Arteta and their opponents. Extracting them from their clubs, that’s where the issues lie.
Long gone are the days where elite clubs are able to cherry pick from smaller teams. Take Watkins as a case in point. You could well imagine Villa’s response to an approach from Arsenal.
England international. Four years left on his contract. All that, including the fact Villa are among the most financially sound clubs in the Premier League, means Arsenal’s monitoring of Watkins is likely to lead nowhere.
Even if there was a fee Villa would sell for, the fact Watkins turns 29 in December would present another obstacle.
Watkins is now a proven goalscorer and has racked up an eye-catching number of assists this term
He dented Arsenal’s title hopes on Sunday, and Mikel Arteta may feel that he should try to sign Watkins to take his team to the next level
Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is another striker Arsenal have been linked with, but he would like be very expensive
As much as Arteta admires the former Brentford forward, there would be little return on a financial outlay – that would likely exceed £70million – if they ever decided to sell Watkins in the future.
Similarly, any ploy to lure Alexander Isak away from Newcastle would likely prove as arduous and costly – although at 24 his signing would represent a greater opportunity to recoup money back from a future sale.
Of course, attacking players have always come at a premium. But that expense is inflating at a rapid rate, particularly with well run clubs who are left with little temptation to part with their crown jewels.
The fact such transfers have to make sense on the balance sheet just provides a further complication. So where does that leave Arsenal’s search?
Unsurprisingly Arsenal, like the rest of Europe, have admired Sporting Lisbon centre-forward Viktor Gyokeres’ performances this season.
But the Sweden international, who has scored 36 goals and supplied 16 assists, has a release clause of £86million – a princely sum for a player who only last season was playing in the Championship with Coventry.
The merits of a potential move for a central striker such as Gyokeres – or Toney or Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee – rests on how Arsenal proceed with regards to the profile of forward they decide to move for.
Indeed, the emergence of Kai Havertz in recent weeks as a genuine threat in the lone striker role could impact on how the Gunners intend to enter the market.
To that end, it is pertinent to add that Arsenal’s interest in Toney is believed to have simmered in recent weeks. Like Watkins, the fact Toney is 28 is also a consideration. But, regardless of age, Havertz’s promising displays have forced Arsenal into re-assessing.
Invariably, though, it is the price that has to be right – particularly with the club eager to strengthen in other areas.
Martin Zubimendi (pictured) is well-liked by Arsenal’s recruitment team, and could also be targted this summer to strengthen Arsenal’s midfield, but a striker is set to be the main priority
Real Sociedad central midfield lynchpin Martin Zubimendi, who will cost around £50million, has strong support from within Arsenal’s recruitment team while the signing of a new full-back will depend on how Arteta views Oleksandr Zinchenko’s long-term future at the Emirates at the end of the season.
The Ukraine international, who emerged as one the stars of the club’s push for the title last season, has endured a difficult campaign at the club.
Jakub Kiwior’s improvement in recent months has added competition at left-back for Zinchenko, while the long-awaited return of Jurrien Timber from a long-term knee injury could also push the former Manchester City man further down the pecking order.
But there is no doubting where Arsenal’s priorities lie this summer. Executing, though, is far easier said than done.
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