The window of opportunity for one of Mikel Arteta’s high-profile acquisitions is closing.

If Mikel Arteta wants to finally end the Gunners’ wait for another Premier League title, he needs to pursue a striker who can score 25 goals, according to one of his former Arsenal teammates. Following the shocking announcement that sports director Edu will be leaving to work with Evangelos Marinakis and his group of clubs, which includes Nottingham Forest, the club is currently in disbelief.

But as the hunt for the Brazilian’s replacement gets on, the Gunners have other urgent issues that must be resolved off the field as well.

Following a lackluster attacking performance, Arsenal’s 1-0 loss at Newcastle on Saturday left them seven points behind Premier League leaders Liverpool and sparked new concerns about their cutting edge.

Arteta’s team has long been hampered by the belief that they lack the elite No. 9 necessary to convert potential into significant hardware, despite their much-lauded development. With 16 goals in the 2023–24 season, wide player Bukayo Saka was their best league scorer; this time, Kai Havertz leads the pack with four.

However, since January 30, the current owner of the renowned nine-shirt has failed to score in the Premier League. Gabriel Jesus is yet to score in the top league this season, and his opening goal in the 2-1 victory against Forest was his fourth and last goal of the previous campaign. He has only scored once in 13 games this season, and that was in an EFL Cup match against Preston.

When the Brazilian striker joined from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 for a reported £48 million cost, it was a highly anticipated signing. Arteta seems to have finally run out of patience, though, since his 20 goals in 82 games since then amounts to less than one every four games.

Jesus, 27, was again limited to a late appearance in the defeat at St. James’ Park and has only started one of Arsenal’s ten Premier League games. Henri Lansbury, who joined the Emirates in 2007 and left in 2012, has now demanded that Arteta enter the transfer market.

He told Ladbrokes, “I’ve been saying for a few years now that I think they need an all-out striker.” They need a number nine who can go out and score goals, in my opinion. Someone who can assure them of 25 goals every season is what they need.

After being connected to players like Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokores, and Victor Osimhen, Arsenal’s rumored summer striker search eventually proved fruitless. Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig is still rumored to be joining in January, although Edu’s exit is likely to interfere with their transfer efforts.

Since taking over as manager in December 2019, Arteta has not hesitated to be brutal, choosing to move on well-known forwards like Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexander Lacazette. And if money is required to support a high-profile striker acquisition, Jesus suddenly appears to be a strong contender to be sold.

Given that the Palmeiras graduate has a deal with the Emirates through 2027, the team may still be able to fetch a respectable price in January or the summer of next year. However, considering the player’s form and physical issues over the last two years, Arsenal is probably going to have to settle for a lesser price than what they paid City.