Arsenal number-one target in top 10 strikers available this summer with Cristiano Ronaldo

Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are all expected to sign a new striker this summer – and even the Premier League champions could let one go.

From the Premier League’s finest chaos merchant to the Gunners’ top transfer target, these are the 10 best strikers available this summer…

10) Darwin Nunez (Liverpool)
You may question whether Darwin Nunez even deserves a place in this top 10. Statistics are not in his favour, but we wanted to include him and know he is available this summer. The only players we feel harsh leaving out are Mateo Retegui, Loic Openda and Randal Kolo Muani. And then you’ve got more debatably ‘available’ players like Ollie Watkins and Alexander Isak.

The Liverpool striker is an enigma. He is Captain Chaos. We love him – but for all the wrong reasons. Who in their right mind will be brazen enough to take him on? Your guess is as good as ours.

He’ll almost certainly move abroad, and La Liga feels right. He did well at Almeria before joining Benfica and reeks of Atletico Madrid. They do have Julian Alvarez, but Antoine Griezmann is 34 and Angel Correa is leaving.

Darwin is still just 25, but 40 goals in 142 Liverpool games leaves a lot to be desired. Whoever signs him is taking a risk – but the potential reward is enormous. If someone can polish the rough edges, there’s a talented boy in there. Somewhere.

9) Liam Delap (Ipswich Town)
Every Premier League club – except Arsenal – is chasing Liam Delap, hopefully resulting in an exciting transfer saga that ends at the right time instead of dragging on and on and on.

Despite attracting interest from several competent football clubs, it’s reportedly Manchester United (or Chelsea… or United again) leading the race. Delap is open to the move, which should be enough of a red flag for everyone else to back off and let United crack on.

Twelve goals in 36 matches in a debut Premier League season is a very solid return for the 22-year-old. Not long ago it was 12 in 30, which looked even better and explains the hype.

Ipswich’s relegation and his loss of form won’t stop the vultures circling, and £30million still feels like a bargain. Especially for a striker who is, by all accounts, a slightly unhinged madman.

8) Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr)
The big dog Cristiano Ronaldo is out of contract at Al Nassr this summer…who wants him?! Come on, step forward. Anyone? Please.

He’s won absolutely nothing of note out there, but that hasn’t stopped him scoring 91 goals in 103 games. If you’ve just stumbled on this article by accident – hello, and yes, those numbers are very good.

A return to the Premier League is, of course, pure fantasy. But a free transfer to Al Hilal to chase trophies in the Middle East (and be annoying) feels entirely on brand. The most shameless move of the summer might still belong to Cristiano.

7) Dusan Vlahovic (Juventus)
Dusan Vlahovic turned down Arsenal for Juventus in 2022, and it’s hard to fault him; it looked like the right call at the time. But hindsight is cruel and Arsenal are now a Champions League force while Juventus… aren’t.

Things haven’t quite clicked for the Serbian in Turin. A goal every three games is fine, but not what you expect from a £70million signing. Juventus are reportedly open to selling, though swap deals seem to be their go-to route.

It’s tough to pin down his next move – he’s good enough to start for a big club, but not quite good enough to justify a bidding war. Vlahovic’s future might be the most unpredictable on this list.

6) Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
With Xabi Alonso off to Real Madrid, Leverkusen are braced for a summer exodus. Victor Boniface could be part of that. As could Florian Wirtz, Alejandro Grimaldo, Jonathan Tah, Piero Hincapie and Jeremie Frimpong.

Boniface was reportedly close to joining Al Nassr in January but they went for Jhon Duran instead, so there is clearly an openness on Leverkusen’s side to sell, while the player is happy to take on a new challenge.

The Nigerian’s stock was at its peak during Leverkusen’s unbeaten Bundesliga run in 2023/24, but he’s still a hugely viable option for big European sides. He shouldn’t be vanishing into the Saudi wilderness just yet, regardless of how many zeroes are on the cheque.

5) Jonathan David (Lille)
Jonathan David is available on a free transfer after confirming he’ll leave Lille this summer, making him one of the biggest bargains out there – if he drops his reportedly ridiculous wage demands.

He’s scored 109 goals in 232 games for Lille, including 10 in 18 Champions League appearances. Those numbers, plus the lack of a transfer fee, make him extremely appealing.

Unfortunately, it’s mostly Saudi clubs who can meet his current terms – which include €15m in commissions. If he gets realistic, there’s a proper forward here for someone in need.

4) Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)
Trying to predict Benjamin Sesko’s future is pointless. He could be world-class, or he could disappear into a Chelsea-shaped vortex and be playing for Wolves in 2027, with all due respect to Wolves.

Still, the hype is real. Chelsea seem very keen – him and Delap fit their ‘project signing’ blueprint. This is why Arsenal prefer Gyokeres, who is more of a ready-made title winner.

Sesko has the size, pace, and technical skill to become an elite striker – but he’s not there yet. If someone’s patient, he could end up being the best player on this entire list.

3) Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Newcastle United tried to sign Hugo Ekitike from Stade Reims before he joined Paris Saint-Germain, only to flop disastrously in the French capital while the Magpies soared into the Champions League with Alexander Isak leading the line. It worked out okay for the latter but Ekitike’s time in Paris was miserable.

Ekitike reportedly blocked PSG’s attempts to sign Randal Kolo Muani by refusing to go the other way – then eventually went to Frankfurt anyway, where he’s been a revelation and will make them a lot of money.

After scoring 22 goals and providing 12 assists in 48 matches for Frankfurt this season, he is being strongly linked with Liverpool, though Man United and Arsenal are obviously in the picture.

Ekitike is a unique striker with a very high ceiling. Like Sesko, his height makes him a problem for any defender when it’s combined with such pace and power. Given he’s already been at PSG and flopped, a move to the Premier League feels likely. We’re not ruling out Juventus, though.

2) Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP)
Reportedly Arsenal’s top striker target and adored by Mikel Arteta’s new sporting director Andrea Berta, Viktor Gyokeres has been red hot this year after finishing 2024 as Europe’s top scorer.

Arsenal have been crying out for an out-and-out goalscorer ever since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang left in the 2022 winter transfer window, and Gyokeres would be a smart signing. Hopefully the last piece of the puzzle that can help the Gunners win the Premier League or Champions League next season.

He scored 39 goals in 33 league games this season and topped the charts in Europe across all competitions. The fact it’s in Portugal doesn’t dilute the achievement – he also got six in eight in the Champions League, including a hat-trick in a win against Manchester City that got Man United fans all giddy.

Sometimes stats don’t lie and that’s the case with Gyokeres. He’s clearly just what Arteta needs. It’s now just about meeting Sporting’s price.

1) Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
It’s bizarre how little noise there’s been around Victor Osimhen. In the last five years, there have not been many better strikers and he was the main man in Napoli’s first title-winning campaign 33 years in 2022/23. Despite his reputation, goal record and availability, there have been next to no transfer links going into the summer transfer window.

We are left scratching our head trying to work out why. Is it down to his attitude? It could well be. There have been some questionable things said by the player and his agent in recent years and with no big clubs seemingly interested, other big clubs are reluctant to bring him in. His wage demands could be a key factor. We all know that Napoli want to sell and at a price that is very reasonable for a player of Osimhen’s quality.

A transfer to Chelsea last summer ticked all of the boxes but the Premier League club didn’t fancy it and went into the season with Nicolas Jackson as their only out-and-out striker and versatile forward Christopher Nkunku as back-up. Chelsea now seem to prefer Sesko and Delap, meaning Osimhen is unlikely to get a Premier League move that not so long ago felt inevitable.

Saudi Arabia now feels the most obvious next move for Osimhen, but that would open him up to ridicule after calling Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s agent a “dumb f**k” for saying he was moving there.

Clubs seem to be oblivious to Osimhen’s availability but it’s guaranteed that the Nigerian will leave Napoli this summer after spending the season on loan at Galatasaray. His bridges in Naples have been burned to the ground.

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