Over the past year, Arsenal's transfer strategy has been very focused on young talent. Veterans like Petr Cech and Willian have left the club and the team is focused on starting to find new talent, hoping to develop them into stars. A well-known example is Gabriel Martinelli, who was selected into the main squad after recovering from injuries this season and effortlessly became the focus of the team. Summer newcomers Ben White, Ramsdale, Lokunga, Fuan Jianyang and Erdega also have one thing in common – youth. So, the reason why the gunman aimed at Vlahovich is obvious. At the age of 21, he was able to adapt to Arteta's team model and is now able to contribute. However, the Serbia international looks set to complete a €75 million (£62.8 million) transfer by the end of January this year, meaning Arsenal will miss their primary target.
However, this does provide them with an opportunity to be small and broad in the market. Arsenal appear to be financially constrained since spending a club record on Pepe and are sure to suffer after spending the most money on Premier League clubs last summer. The summer window has been successful, so Arteta won't complain, but it could affect his team plans for next season. Vlahović was supposed to be at the heart of the future, but that's not possible and the Gunners should address their current midfield core issues.
Bruno Guimaras was linked and the Brazilian would be the ideal person to fight alongside Partey. However, he will cost the team considerable, which will affect Arsenal's efforts to find a new Number Nine player, which is necessary given aubameyang and Lacazette's contracts and age. So if Aubameyang leaves Arsenal, Arsenal will lose an orthodox striker in the summer, with both Nkedia and Lacazette's contracts expiring in a few months' time. They could only sign one big-name player in the summer of 2022, and if Arsenal prioritize midfield, then the front line will need a cheap option. Who can they sign? All of these signings come with certain risks, but if Arsenal can't afford a more well-known name, then these would be the ideal targets.
Mohammed Bayeux
The first player to be worth thinking about is Clermont's star player Mohammed Bayo. The Guinean international has just competed in the Africa Cup of Nations, having previously made progress at Clermont Academy and playing a key role in last year's Ligue 2. Playing in the top flight for the first time was also no problem for Bayeux, who scored nine goals and assisted two times in 17 games. In the top 15 per cent of non-penalty goals scored in Europe's top five leagues, Bayo is a man who can do it all: he can play near the penalty area, acting as a fulcrum from time to time, while his instincts in the box are excellent. While his forward pass count can't be compared to Lacazette's, Bayeux is also an efficient creator, so the Frenchman can act as a fulcrum in the penalty area, giving Saka and Martinelli plenty of room to impact and pick up their crosses.
Artur Cabral
Arsenal must move quickly as Artur Cabral looks set to join Fiorentina to replace Vlahović. However, if they can stop the move, they will get a good player. Cabral, who has scored 19 goals in 25 games this season, is ready to storm last season's 20 goals. It's time for Cabral, 23, to leave Basel and Arsenal can invest patience and money in a player with no top-flight experience, which is in line with their current team-building strategy. Fiorentina have met Vlahović before anyone else, so if Arsenal don't do it early, a similar story could play out, something they may regret years from now.
Avoni
Sold by Liverpool for £6.5 million last summer, the Reds must have regretted the decision. Although Averni was signed by the Reds in 2015, he never played for Klopp's side due to labour certification issues, and after seven loan spells, he was eventually sold to Union Berlin. This year, Avoniyi became the main force of the team, scoring nine goals in 16 league starts to help the team finish fourth in the Bundesliga. Averni is a capable dribbler, as well as a player with air strike capabilities, he is not only a shooter, his sense of position is also excellent. Although Union Berlin has only had four games this season to outperform their opponents, Avoni is still among the top averages in the number of goals expected from non-penalties per game. Essentially, he is a true elite, in the right position, which Arsenal desperately need.
Ondaf
It's a little-known player, but Arsenal can still see him as a solution for the front. The St. Giros striker has scored 18 goals in belgium's top flight this season and his side is at the top of the table. He's the team's top scorer, albeit a bit unknown. He played in the Bundesliga before joining St. Gilos, which is a relatively inspirational story, but 18 goals is not a questionable record, especially with 17 goals he scored last season. It is worth mentioning that Osmayne was signed by Lille after a promising season in Belgium and when he was back to health, he was one of the best strikers in Europe, which was the case before he joined Napoli.
Giovanni Simone
Once Simeone's loan period is over, Verona does have the option to buy him, but there is still time for another club to buy him. After scoring 12 goals in 18 league games this season, he has regained the perfect form of his career. Simeone is now 26 and moving to a big club feels like it's time to happen. Until this season, Simeone was still living in the shadow of his father, who performed well on the pitch and he was one of the most high-profile players in Serie A this season. Arsenal could be the next step in his development, of course, that has to be asked about his home team Cagliari and the current Verona.