Arsenal relying on key condition to pull off striker transfer as £70m frontman linked

Arsenal could yet pull off more business before the transfer deadline following the signing of Mikel Merino from Real Sociedad. The Euro 2024 winger has finally put pen-to-paper after weeks of negotiations between his new and old club.

The Gunners could well sign Joan Garcia from Espanyol to replace Aaron Ramsdale, who is likely to depart, and they may not be done there. While time is running out before the deadline, which is on Friday night, Mikel Arteta and Edu will still be considering potential deals.

The front line is an area that may need strengthening, with more competition needed on the wings and a new striker also needed in an ideal world. With Eddie Nketiah headed to Crystal Palace, Arsenal only have Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus as out-and-out strikers.

A striker who can also play out wide would be the obvious solution to both of those problems, but it’s also true that the Gunners don’t have that typical ‘plan B’ - a target man. A number of players have been linked, including Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin, who appears to be for sale for the right price, while Brighton starlet Evan Ferguson is the latest to be linked.

Football Transfers report that Ferguson could be a target late in the window should Arsenal decide to go after a striker. The obvious problem is that Brighton are likely to demand around £70million for their star 19-year-old, and that’s a price tag that is likely to be out of the Gunners’ reach barring a flurry of late sales late in the window, while Calvert-Lewin could be available for around half that figure.

To that end, Football Insider report that Arsenal will only pursue a deal for a new forward if Reiss Nelson is sold at the back end of the window. Arsenal are said to want £20million for Nelson this summer, but interest in a permanent deal has not been forthcoming. The Gunners are likely to welcome cash for Nketiah and potentially Ramsdale and Kieran Tierney. Though, even if Nelson is sold on top of those potential departures, Arsenal’s spending last summer and this means a £70million striker deal does seem unlikely.