Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes
When Arsenal lost 3-0 to Brighton just over a week ago, you'd be forgiven for assuming that the biggest issue that day was the club's defence.
In truth, it was one of the worst displays of the Mikel Arteta era, but the biggest issue was up front.
The Gunners have rarely been swashbuckling in the final third in the last few years, but it was alarming how poor they looked going forward.
REUTERS/Tony O Brien
Kai Havertz missed a big chance to score in the second half while Bukayo Saka proved wasteful in front of goal too. That's not for the first time this season either.
Why Arsenal's forward line is still a big issue
Last season there were not many negatives. After all, for the first time in 22 years, Arsenal had been crowned Premier League champions.
Yet, if there was one critique of this great Arteta team, it would be that they lack goals.
REUTERS/Matthew Childs
Now, there is an argument to be had that, considering how strong they are at the back, they don't need to score two or three goals every game. That's pretty true.
However, as this season may well show, it's not sustainable to always win 1-0. Last term, they won 11 matches in all competitions, eight in the Premier League, by that scoreline.
To their credit, this term has been a little different. They scored three times against Manchester City in the Community Shield and put another three past Coventry City. They also scored four away at Ipswich Town.
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Yet, there have been matches where their wasteful nature in front of goal has almost come back to haunt them again. During a 1-0 win over Napoli, the Gunners had as many as 26 shots. In that one, Saka missed a gilt-edged chance from a matter of yards out when one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Havertz had a similar opportunity against Brighton last weekend but could not find the back of the net.
What hasn't helped was the summer's recruitment. Arsenal lost Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard only to replace them with Christos Tzolis. That was all they did.
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As impressive and as canny as the Greek has looked during the first few months of his career at the Emirates Stadium, he is yet to score a goal in Arsenal colours.
So, come January, Andrea Berta must go again. He simply has to bolster Arsenal's attacking options. Julian Alvarez appears to tick a lot of boxes.
Why Julian Alvarez could solve the problem
Over the summer, Arsenal tried immensely hard to improve the options at their disposal in the final third.
Morgan Rogers was Arteta's leading target but he ended up at Chelsea. Elsewhere, any hope of signing Vinicius Junior was put to bed when he signed a new deal with Real Madrid.
Across the city, Arsenal thought they had a chance of luring Alvarez away from Atletico. However, he only wanted Barcelona. That move didn't happen and he has remained in the Spanish capital as a result.
REUTERS/Thomas Peter
Yet, given his goalless start to the new season, it would not be a surprise if this saga continued into the winter of 2027. If it does, the Gunners must ensure they are right at the heart of it.
Why? Well, the Argentine is the perfect profile for the Premier League champions.
Not just a goalscorer - he has netted 49 times in the last two seasons - he is also a provider, a creator and a facilitator. This is a hybrid of Viktor Gyokeres and Havertz.
Like Gyokeres, he's a natural-born goalscorer; he's a ruthless finisher. Yet, like Havertz, one of his main strengths is the ability to link play and bring others into the game.
Last season, he ranked among the top 9% of strikers in Europe's top five leagues for expected threat in the build-up phases of play. For an Arsenal team that loves quick combination play on the edge of the area and love playing into a striker, this should be music to their ears.
However, have the footballing gods just presented Arteta and Co with an even better opportunity in the market?
How Arsenal can forget about Alvarez
Arsenal want an elite forward player. For years, supporters and pundits alike have bemoaned the lack of a world-class attacker.
Is Saka held in that regard? Well, judging by his form in the last few years, not quite.
REUTERS/Hannah Mckay
One could say they haven't needed that elite calibre of player. They did win the Premier League. Yet, one look at the PSG team tells you that if you are to enjoy regular success in Europe, you need the world's best forward players in your ranks.
It's precisely why Arsenal looked at Alvarez, it's why they looked at Vini Jr. However, could Erling Haaland now be on his way to the Emirates instead?
It seems fanciful but news emerging out of English football in the last few years suggests there is a genuine chance it may happen.
Manchester City were found guilty of 114 of their 115 charges relating to financial breaches and while the Citizens are appealing the verdict, speculation has been rife regarding what could happen to City.
What should Man City's punishment be?
One of many possible outcomes would be relegation from the top-flight and if that happens, Football Insider report that Arsenal and Real Madrid are primed to strike.
They have reportedly already held discussions with Haaland's representatives regarding a move that would shock the world of football.
Haaland is currently tied down to a contract that doesn't expire until 2034 so unless City's punishment is extremely severe, the likelihood is that he stays in Manchester. However, if their immediate future is one without European football and/or major silverware, the Norwegian could choose to move on.
Erling Haaland season by season record (timeless)
This would be a jaw-dropping capture, one that solves all of Arsenal's problems in the final third. He is one of the best strikers to ever do it. In the words of Norway coach Stale Solbakken, "he is the greatest goal scorer in the world."
Harry Kane may have a thing or two to say about that but it's impossible to disregard the centre-forward's remarkable record in front of goal.
Since signing for City, Haaland has scored 169 goals in 205 matches. He has been crowned the top scorer in the Premier League on three occasions.
The truth is that he is one of the best around, even better than Alvarez. It spoke volumes that he decided to leave the Etihad after two years of playing second fiddle to Haaland.
Compared to Havertz and Gyokeres, he is on a different planet too. While the latter once enjoyed a 54 goal season with Sporting, he is yet to replicate those numbers at the same level Haaland has.
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With Arsenal in need of goals and craving a first Champions League title, this is exactly the sort of signing that could help them achieve that.
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