Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea chase new No. 9: Ranking of top eight available strikers includes PSG pair
Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham are all still in the market for a new striker and there are plenty of options out there.
We have ranked the top eight who could move clubs before the 2024 summer transfer window slams shut…
Top eight strikers available this summer
8) Goncalo Ramos (Paris Saint-Germain)
Goncalo Ramos is one of the latest young stars PSG have bought and are willing to flog after a year. Regarded as one of the best young strikers in the world, the Parisiens splashed out over £50million to land Ramos from Benfica and started him 21 times across all competitions in 2023/24.
His record of 11 goals in 29 Ligue 1 matches is pretty handy for a 23-year-old in a new country but not enough for PSG to be convinced he is in fact the next big thing.
With Napoli duo Victor Osimhen and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia on their transfer wishlist, PSG are reportedly willing to offload Ramos this summer.
7) Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord)
Arne Slot’s star man at Feyenoord has been attracting interest from Nottingham Forest – who are also keen on Arsenal’s Eddie Nketiah. Gimenez has been linked with Tottenham and Arsenal in the past but neither are expected to pursue him now.
Gimenez’s scoring record speaks for itself, netting 53 times in 89 appearances for last season’s Eredivisie runners-up. He almost averaged a goal contribition a game in the Dutch top flight last season and we can’t imagine he will too expensive. In fact, we can confidently say he will end up being one of the cheapest on this list if they all move on. And he is only 23.
6) Randal Kolo Muani (Paris Saint-Germain)
Kolo Muani’s stock has fallen since PSG splashed out 95 million euros to sign him from Eintracht Frankfurt last summer. The German club did fantastically well, holding out for the colossal fee a year after signing him from Nantes for nothing.
Even if the Frenchman struggled at PSG last term, we all know about the ability he possesses. The fact the mention of his name instantly brings me – and surely many others – back to Emiliano Martinez’s save to deny him in extra time of the 2022 World Cup isn’t the best of signs, to be fair.
Regardless, we think Kolo Muani would be a top signing for anyone despite a disappointing nine goals in 40 matches last term. If PSG are willing to sell for a respectable fee, Premier League clubs should be all over him.
5) Ivan Toney (Brentford)
Perhaps talking himself out of a big move, Toney has been running his mouth and frankly insulting Brentford, despite his club standing by him during his betting ban. It is far from a good look and one that Arsenal and Chelsea will take note of.
Ignoring the blatant desire to leave his current club, Toney is obviously a very good footballer and one who can be regarded as an all-round striker.
His poor form for Brentford since returning in January did not damage his England chances and he repaid the faith put in him by Gareth Southgate to contribute off the bench at Euro 2024. A move to Saudi Arabia looks very likely now.
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4) Jonathan David (Lille)
The latest member of the perpetually linked to the Premier League without ever coming close to moving group, David was in red-hot form last campaign but is still a Lille player. For the love of God, someone please just sign him. He is apparently available for as little as £20m!
The Canadian international still has his best years ahead of him at 24 but you get the impression if he was going to come to England, he would be here already. I did say the exact same about Kalidou Koulibaly months before he joined Chelsea, mind. But have been proven right by Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Houssem Aouar and Adrien Rabiot…
English clubs are not going to be the only ones out there looking for a new No. 9, so foreign clubs should not be ruled out the race. David could be the man brought in to replace a Victor Osimhen or Victor Boniface, for example.
3) Victor Boniface (Bayer Leverkusen)
Speaking of which, forgotten Leverkusen striker Victor Boniface was injured for so long that he has somewhat gone under the radar, which Xabi Alonso won’t mind one bit.
Fourteen goals and nine assists in 23 Bundesliga appearances was a great return and given Alonso’s decision to stay at Leverkusen, the club’s hierarchy will be confident of keeping stars like Boniface and Florian Wirtz at the club with Champions League football back.
There are no doubts that the German champions will have fielded plenty of calls but without actively pushing for a transfer, it is hard to see any of Alonso’s main men leaving this summer.
2) Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)
‘But he played for Coventry!’ some Arsenal fans will cry when they see links to the Swede. It’s not about where you’ve been, guys. It’s about where you are. And Gyokeres is at Sporting, taking the complete and utter p*ss out of defenders and goalkeepers.
With a ridiculous 58 goal contributions in 50 games last season, there’s talk of the 26-year-old’s £85m release clause being triggered by the Gunners – who are expected to target a striker this summer.
And Gyokeres is the top scorer of 2024 ahead of Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. Not bad.
1) Victor Osimhen (Napoli)
Osimhen is the best striker available this summer.
The Nigerian has a release clause worth around £112m and has been strongly linked with PSG, as well as the Premier League’s elite. Reports suggest a move to England appeals to Osimhen rather more than playing in the French capital.
2022/23 was the Nigerian’s most productive scoring season by far and his numbers in every other season are impressive, but not £112m impressive. He is someone who works very hard for the team but we have several doubts.
Regardless, in a world with few elite out-and-out strikers, Osimhen is one of the best and certainly the best out of those who could be moved on in the 2024 summer transfer window.
After a quiet period, rumours have ramped up, with Osimhen likely to join Chelsea.
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