Arsenal want 33-goal forward in January as Arteta’s transfer plans take shape – report
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Arsenal are keeping close tabs on Feyenoord striker Santiago Gimenez.
The Gunners are looking to sign a new striker in the January window and they have been heavily linked with a move for Brentford striker Ivan Toney.
While Toney remains their first-choice target, his £80m price tag could force the Gunners into looking for options elsewhere.
According to a report from The Times, Arsenal have also scouted Gimenez. The 22-year-old has scored 33 goals for Feyenoord across all competitions since the start of last season, and he is definitely someone to watch out for.
The report didn’t share his current market value but it is quite clear that he won’t be available for cheap.
The Times suggests that to sign either of Gimenez and Toney, the Gunners need to offload a few players to comply with the Financial Fair Play rules.
During the summer, reports emerged that the Dutch giants could demand a fee of around £43.5m for the Mexican international.
He joined from Cruz Azul last year and has made a big impression already, which means the Gunners may have to pay a lot more in January.
Arsenal managed 88 goals last season in the Premier League and only Manchester City had scored more than them. Yet it appears that the forward department needs strengthening.
The recent 2-2 draw against Tottenham gives an indication that Arteta needs to sign one top-quality striker in January to mount a strong challenge for the league title.
Emile Smith Rowe is an obvious candidate who could be sold, while the likes of Eddie Nketiah and Reiss Nelson could be offloaded to fund a move for either Toney or Gimenez.