Viktor Gyokeres has scored only once this season, and Arsenal are now prioritising a top-quality forward signing in January, casting doubt on the striker's future at the Emirates. The solitary goal came in the Carabao Cup exit at Fleetwood, despite the Gunners making a strong start to their title defence.
Arsenal's January plans
Mikel Arteta has placed attacking reinforcements at the top of his agenda, viewing fresh firepower as essential to competing across all competitions. Arsenal have reportedly identified Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi as a target, though the Cherries would be reluctant to let the 20-year-old Frenchman leave in the next window. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich have also been linked with him.
The Gunners retain a long-standing interest in Juventus' Kenan Yildiz, while uncertainty surrounds Vinicius Junior's long-term future at Real Madrid following Arsenal's summer pursuit of the Brazilian. A winger remains a secondary priority behind securing a versatile forward.
Arteta's warning
Gyokeres is reminded of his first encounter with Arteta, who bluntly warned the Swede that he would need to handle goal droughts to succeed at Arsenal. After Gyokeres' stuttering start to last season, Arteta said: "I told him before the first meeting, I said, 'The nine that I want is a nine that when he doesn't score for six or eight games, he can handle that.'"
"If not, you have to go somewhere else because the expectation is going to be there. So, if you put on a nine shirt for Arsenal, you have to be able to say, 'OK, six games, if I don't score, I'm a different player? I start to act in a different way?' No, I want much more of the same of what he's doing. You see the history of the number nines. You're going to have moments like this."
Arteta added: "He brings so much to the team. He creates space and solutions to a lot of the players around him. And with the talent that we have in the team, I'm sure that everybody, him included, will benefit from that."
Upcoming fixtures
Gyokeres stayed on the bench for most of Sunday's win at Liverpool before coming on as a late substitute for match-winner Kai Havertz. He will be eager to start in Wednesday's Champions League encounter away to Slavia Prague. Max Dowman is eligible for selection, as his three-game ban following his red card at Fleetwood is restricted to domestic games only; Arsenal's attempt to overturn the 16-year-old's sending-off was unsuccessful.
