Mikel Arteta and his Arsenal side have a huge few months ahead of them. Focus for the Spaniard will be honed in on securing a top four finish by the end of the season, bringing a return to the Champions League.
Following that will be a short break, but little time to rest for the Gunners staff tasked with preparing for the upcoming summer transfer market. While Champions League qualification could determine the quality of players the club can attract, one thing for certain is that a striker will be on the agenda.
With Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang leaving for Barcelona in January and duo Alexandre Lacazette and Eddie Nketiah set to leave as free agents, Arteta is left with few options upfront. Academy graduate Folarin Balogun is the only natural centre-forward option, while the manager has hinted that both Emile Smith Rowe and Gabriel Martinelli could play there in the future.
