Arsenal dealt Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres transfer blows after Mikel Arteta statement

There's just over two weeks left of the transfer window and it's shaping up to be a busy time for Arsenal. The Gunners have already got Riccardo Calafiori through the door, but want to do plenty more business.

Mikel Merino remains a long-term target. The Gunners are in the process of conversations with the player's representatives, but as football.london has previously reported, they are yet to make an official bid at time of writing.

Beyond that a forward is on the agenda for Arsenal. This may seem strange given that Mikel Arteta's side broke their club record for Premier League goals last season, but there is a feeling among decision makers at the Emirates Stadium, that a killer is needed in the final third.

This has been shown briefly in pre-season so far. Despite losing 2-1 to Liverpool in Philadelphia, Arsenal could easily have won the game themselves if it weren't for their profligacy in the final third. By Arteta's own admission, it's something they're going to have to fix. "We have to punish teams," the Spaniard admitted at Lincoln Financial Field. "That’s where we need to improve."

As they seek to fulfil their manager's wish a host of players are on the Arsenal target list. They have already attempted to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig earlier in the summer, but the Slovenian ultimately opted to remain with the Bundesliga outfit. Beyond him among the biggest names to have been linked so far are Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyokeres.

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Osimhen has been one of the most high profile forwards in Europe since his near-£70million switch to Napoli in 2020. The Nigerian signed a contract extension in Naples just last year, but it is thought to include a £112million release clause.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, has garnered attention from some of the world's biggest clubs after going supernova in his first season with Sporting Lisbon. The Swedish forward wracked up a whopping 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 appearances last season and has already grabbed a goal and three assists in just three games this time around. Reports have suggested that he has a release clause of his own which is valued at roughly £86million.

While there can be little doubting that either player would improve the Arsenal squad, unfortunately it seems a move of such magnitude is not on the cards this summer. The Gunners invested a club record £105million in Declan Rice last summer, but when quizzed on if a similar sized deal could happen this time around, Arteta admitted it wasn't likely.

"We don't expect to do anything like it," the Spaniard said last month. "That’s the reality."

Rather than signing an out-and-out No.9, the likelihood is that Arsenal will go for a versatile forward who can play across the front line this transfer window. Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao has been heavily linked, but that deal looks unlikely, while erstwhile target Pedro Neto has secured a £60million move to Chelsea.