How do Arsenal win the Premier League next season? That will be the largest question on Mikel Arteta's mind this summer.
The Gunners are getting closer, reducing the gap to Manchester City from five points in 2022/23 to just two points in 2023/24. They were desperately near to ending that 20-year wait for a Premier League title.
You can look back at certain moments during the campaign and wonder what if. What if they had beaten Aston Villa during the run-in? Well, what if they'd beaten Man City during the same run of games too?
The fact of the matter is that Arsenal probably did just about all they could to win the title. They had the best defence in the land and were scoring goals at will, smacking six past West Ham, five past Burnley and another half a dozen past Sheffield United.
Is scoring more goals the answer, then? It feels ridiculous to say yes after the facts listed above but they still found the net fewer times than the might of Pep Guardiola's team.
So, how about a new striker?
The strikers Arsenal could sign
RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko was linked rather relentlessly with a move to Arsenal a few weeks ago but he is now set to stay in Germany and sign a new deal.
The next target they have moved onto is believed to be Viktor Gyokeres of Portuguese club Sporting.
Gyokeres had a wonderful campaign in Lisbon, scoring 43 goals across all competitions with some reports even suggesting the Gunners are closing in on his acquisition.
That said, with such a hefty price tag attached to him – £76m upfront reportedly – there are questions to be asked about whether the club need a new centre-forward.
After all, Kai Havertz shone as a false nine during the back end of last campaign, contributing to 15 goals in 18 matches from that role.
So, would landing Gyokeres, someone who has never played in the Premier League before be a gamble? Indeed.
Perhaps raiding a top-flight club again, a successful tactic during the Edu and Arteta reign would be a good idea.
Willian (Chelsea)
Cedric (Southampton)
Ben White (Brighton)
Aaron Ramsdale (Sheffield Utd)
Gabriel Jesus (Man City)
Oleksandr Zinchenko (Man City)
Leandro Trossard (Brighton)
Declan Rice (West Ham)
Kai Havertz (Chelsea)
David Raya (Brentford)
How does Ollie Watkins sound, everyone?
Why Arsenal should sign Ollie Watkins instead
Let's get things straight. The idea of Aston Villa selling their main man ahead of a season in the Champions League is unlikely.
However, the England international has been on the club's radar for a while now and is a self-confessed Gooner. Perhaps the stars will finally align this summer?
Speaking in 2020 when he was still a Brentford player, he said: "That’s the dream, to play for Arsenal one day. But, you know, it’s a long shot."
The latest we heard on any move was back in March when reports suggested that Arsenal had made an approach to sign Watkins, a player reportedly valued around the £75m mark.
So, he could cost the same amount as Gyokeres this summer, but they'd be getting a Premier League-proven player who is in the best form of his life.
Speaking on Monday Night Football last season, presenter Dave Jones suggested that he was delivering "Thierry Henry style numbers".
Why did he say that? Well, the Villa star was as good in front of goal as he was creatively.
Last season, Watkins ended up finishing with 19 goals and 13 assists in the league. It's not quite Henry levels but the sheer rate he was scoring and creating with was supremely impressive.
As a result, he walked away with the Playmaker Award for the most assists in the English top flight, not bad indeed for someone whose main job is to actually score the goals.
Of course, that ability to find the net with such regularity would no doubt pique the interest of Arteta but he likes his players to be able to offer more than just one skill.
Watkins' ability to feed others and act selflessly for the team is a huge plus point and someone who would certainly play into the hands of players like Bukayo Saka and even Havertz.
Indeed, it would not be unreasonable to think that the German could actually play up front with the Villa star, such are their traits.
Gyokeres may well have registered nine league assists himself last season but it would be a risk given the quality of the opponent he was facing.
That's no disrespect to the top-flight in Portugal but Watkins has already proven he can run riot against Premier League defences.
A move, of course, is difficult to see happening but wouldn't it be an exceptional capture? A boyhood Gunner leading the line for Arsenal certainly sounds nice.
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ByMatt Dawson
