While this season has come to an incredibly underwhelming end, Mikel Arteta has still helped to utterly transform Arsenal.
The Spaniard took charge of the side when they were languishing in tenth place, and now he’s led them to a Champions League semi-final and potentially a third second-place finish in the Premier League in as many years.
Moreover, the former captain has overseen a clear improvement of the team in almost all areas, from defence to midfield, between the sticks and out wide.
However, one position in the team which has probably got worse since December 2019 is centre-forward, as Arteta hasn’t been able to find a poacher as prolific as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, although based on recent reports, that might be about to change.
Arsenal's striker search
You don’t have to be a brilliant analyst to see that a lack of cutting-edge up top has cost Arsenal this season, so, in turn, it’s hardly surprising to see the club linked with several sensational strikers in recent weeks, like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres.
Transfer Focus
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The former has arguably been the best centre-forward in the Premier League this season, racking up a haul of 27 goals and six assists in 41 games this season, but with recent reports claiming he could cost the club in excess of £127m, this feels like more of a dream than a realistic transfer.
Coming in at the slightly more reasonable £63m is his compatriot Gyokeres, and while that’s still a lot of money, his tally of 52 goals and 13 assists in 50 games suggest he’s worth it.
Even then, Andrea Berta and Co might want an even better deal, which might explain the interest in Jonathan David.
According to a recent report from Italy, Arsenal are now one of several sides incredibly interested in signing the LOSC Lille star, whose current contract will come to an end this summer.
Interestingly, while the likes of Inter Milan, West Ham United, Liverpool, Chelsea and Newcastle United are credited with an interest in the Canadian international, the report has revealed that the Gunners are currently the favourites to secure his services.
It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line as Napoli, another interested party, have already made a salary offer to the forward. That said, Arsenal would surely have the financial firepower to outmuscle the Italian side to his signature.
Why David would be Arsenal's best striker since Aubameyang
While things might’ve ended on a sour note, there can be no denying that for much of his time at Arsenal, Aubameyang was a goalscoring tour de force.
For example, he became the fastest player in the club’s history to hit 50 Premier League goals, and when he left, he did so with 92 goals and 21 assists in 163 games, which, again, is made all the more impressive when you take into account his lacklustre final 18-months.
Since he left for free in early 2022, three players have led the line for the Gunners: Alexandre Lacazette, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz.
The former became the club’s starting nine in the latter half of the 22/23 campaign, and while he didn’t do too badly, he wasn’t prolific and eventually ended that season with a haul of 17 goals and three assists in 41 games.
For their efforts, Jesus and Havertz have managed to rack up tallies of 46 goal involvements in 96 games and 42 goal involvements in 85 games, respectively.
However, while the latter two have done well in North London, their level of output doesn’t come close to David’s.
For example, this season alone has seen the “mind-blowing” forward, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, score 25 goals and provide 12 assists in 48 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.29 games.
Appearances
48
40
47
48
Goals
19
26
26
25
Assists
0
4
9
12
Goal Involvements*
0.39
0.75
0.74
0.77
Moreover, he’s been this effective for some time, as, over the last four campaigns, the New York-born marksman, whom journalist Tony Marinaro dubbed “one of the best strikers in the world,” has scored 96 goals and provided 25 assists in just 183 club appearances, which is a goal involvement every 1.51 games.
Ultimately, while Arsenal have had some good forwards play for them since Aubameyang left, there is no doubt that, thanks to his incredible track record, David would be their best striker since the Gabonese icon.
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