According to reports from The Telegraph, Arsenal are lining up Borussia Dortmund forward Marco Reus as a potential replacement for Alexis Sanchez or Mesut Ozil, with the duo’s longstanding contract sagas still lingering over the north London club.
Both of their deals expire at the end of next season and according to the report, there’s still some dispute over wages, with the attacking pair wanting in excess of £200k-per-week apiece.
Of course, either exiting the Emirates Stadium as a consequence of failing to agree new deals would be a huge blow to the Gunners.
To say they’re a two-man team would be unfair, but Arsenal’s attacking efforts undoubtedly hinge upon two players who have contributed to 66% of their Premier League goals this season, either by scoring or setting up.
Reus, widely revered as the Bundesliga’s biggest talent outside of Bayern Munich, would be a worthy replacement – but who else could potentially help overcome the Ozil-Sanchez void? As much as requiring signings to fill their positions, it’s a question of who can provide that talismanic quality in the final third.
Football FanCast take a look at FIVE options…
James Rodriguez
Taking Real Madrid’s castoffs (no disrespect, Mesut) worked wonders for the Gunners in 2013 and James Rodriguez represents another chance to take a high-quality attacking player off the European champions’ hands.
Admittedly, the Colombian international has never come close to replicating the form that earned him the Golden Boot at the 2014 World Cup since moving to the Bernabeu, notching up just 27 goals across three campaigns with Los Blancos – including a paltry one in La Liga this season.
But the South American is unquestionably talented and has been forced to contend with Real Madrid’s phenomenal front line for a place in the starting XI, which has inevitably affected his game-time.
A team centred around his abilities, namely lethal long-range finishing, stocky presence behind the centre-forward and intricate link-up play, could quickly see the 25-year-old return to his former best.
Andre Silva
Portuguese football boasts a plethora of exciting youngsters, not least including Porto’s highly-rated 21-year-old Andre Silva.
A phenomenal 2016 has seen the prodigious striker bag ten goals in 15 Primeira Liga appearances this season, notch up four goals and two assists in his first six Champions League outings and produce a return of four in five for the Portuguese national team.
In short, the 6ft. 1″ forward is firing on all cylinders and his stock is consequentially rising, with recent reports from A Bola putting a host of English clubs in the frame to sign him.
Some may be concerned with putting too much pressure on young shoulders and there’s every chance Silva could struggle to replicate his scoring form in the Premier League.
But he’s already emerging as a very accomplished attacker and signing him now could save Arsenal a fortune in the long run.
Dimitri Payet
A fantastic talent who would be a direct replacement for Mesut Ozil at the tip of midfield, Dimitri Payet may be no spring chicken at 29 but his attacking contributions have been up there with the best No.10s in Europe once again this season.
Indeed, we all know how excellent the Frenchman was last term, earning a nomination for PFA Player of the Year with a return of nine goals and twelve assists before continuing to dazzle us with a series of sublime strikes at Euro 2016.
And although he’s not quite reproduced that output this year in an under-performing West Ham side, the attacking midfielder still ranks first throughout Europe’s top five leagues for key passes-per-match – a staggering 4.2 – and in the Premier League’s top twelve for shots-per-game and successful dribbles.
The Irons managed to hold onto their talisman during the summer but he could look to force a move during the next few transfer windows, amid what has been a largely disappointing season in east London.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Scoring goals could be the biggest problem for Arsenal should Sanchez leave, with Olivier Giroud their only other real alternative in the central striker role.
In that regard, it’s hard to look past Marco Reus’ Borussia Dortmund team-mate Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who is enjoying yet another scintillating campaign in front of goal with 16 Bundesliga strikes already this season.
That brings his total to a staggering 100 goals in 160 appearances since signing for the Black-Yellows three years ago.
Blessed with great power and pace, the Gabon international seems a natural fit for the Premier League – and would certainly be able to stretch play in the final third in a similar manner to Sanchez.
The only drawback is whether Aubameyang represents a realistic target. Most clubs in Europe would love to get their hands on the African attacker, who has made no secret of his desire to play for Real Madrid.
Riyad Mahrez
He may seem a little quieter this season but Riyad Mahrez’s creativity and technical quality still stands out in a largely workaday Leicester City side.
The Algerian international was one of the main driving forces behind Leicester City’s shock Premier League title last season, accordingly picking up the PFA Player of the Year award, and although his top flight form has stagnated a little, he’s now impressing on the biggest stage – the Champions League.
Indeed, the 25-year-old has notched up four goals in the competition already this season, whilst averaging 1.5 created chances and 2.7 successful dribbles-per-match, and that form is evidence of his ability to perform at the highest level.
A quick, skillful and intricate attacker who can thrive in small spaces or when countering the opposition, the Foxes star certainly suits the style of football at Arsenal.
He resisted the chance to leave during the summer but will now undoubtedly be plotting his next career move, with Leicester unlikely to produce another title-winning miracle anytime soon.