Arsenal have emerged as unexpected contenders to sign a striker who is considering terminating his contract, with Mikel Arteta’s side reportedly positioning themselves to lure him to north London.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s squad depth continues to take a hit, as Takehiro Tomiyasu has been ruled out for the rest of the season following surgery on his right knee. He joins Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus on the sidelines, leaving Arteta with increasingly limited options.
Despite their injury setbacks, the Gunners remain in the race for the Premier League title, especially after Liverpool dropped points in a 2-2 draw against Aston Villa on Wednesday night.
A win against West Ham on Saturday would narrow the gap to five points, and Arteta is expected to stick with the same attacking setup that secured a dramatic 2-0 victory over Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
| Arsenal’s next five Premier League games | Date |
|---|---|
| West Ham (home) | February 22nd |
| Nottingham Forest (away) | February 26th |
| Man United (away) | March 9th |
| Chelsea (home) | March 16th |
| Fulham (home) | April 1st |
Mikel Merino was deployed as an emergency striker in a dramatic late push, scoring twice in the final ten minutes against Ruud van Nistelrooy’s side. However, it remains uncertain whether Mikel Arteta will start the Spaniard up front against West Ham.
The showdown with the Hammers marks another pivotal moment in Arsenal’s pursuit of their first domestic league title in 21 years. The club’s lack of depth, especially in the attacking department, has sparked criticism of their recruitment strategy.
In January, Arsenal made a lowball offer for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, which was swiftly rejected. Despite Villa’s willingness to negotiate a £60 million fee, the Gunners ultimately decided against pushing for a deal (David Ornstein). As a result, any hopes of securing a top-tier striker will have to wait until the summer.
While Arteta recently hinted at the possibility of signing a free agent, the available options wouldn’t significantly bolster Arsenal’s attacking lineup. However, a surprising new target has emerged—former Liverpool forward Roberto Firmino.
Firmino, who was instrumental under Jürgen Klopp with 111 goals in 362 appearances for the Reds, could be set for an abrupt exit from Al-Ahli. According to a Spanish media source, the Brazilian is considering terminating his contract, and Arsenal are reportedly positioning themselves to bring him back to the Premier League.
The 33-year-old currently earns an eye-watering £302,000 per week in Saudi Arabia—wages that would make him Arsenal’s highest-paid player. A move to the Emirates would likely require him to accept a significant pay cut.
Despite registering 10 goals and five assists this season, Firmino was left out of Al-Ahli’s league squad in favor of new signing Galeno, casting doubt over his long-term future at the club.
