After the announcement that French striker Alexandre Lacazette will leave Arsenal this summer, that leaves record signing, Nicolas Pepe as the player with the most goals for the club in the current squad.
The Ivorian has scored just 27 goals in 112 appearances for Arsenal since moving from Lille to the Emirates in 2019 for what a club record fee though he has been unable to justify the price tag.
Pepe costed Arsenal a whooping £72 million and his involvement in the last season was so limited due to the Gunners lack of European commitments.
The 27-year-old could also be on the move this summer having changed his agent before the end of the season as he looks to get his career back on track after three years which he will consider a downgrade.
Should Pepe also leave this summer, that will leave youngster Bukayo Saka as the top scorer in the team with 23 goals, same number by Eddie Nketiah who is believed to have signed a new five year contract at the club lately.
Gabriel Martinelli and Emile Smith Rowe are on 18 goals each while Granit Xhaka, who is the longest serving regular player for the club has 14 goals.
The numbers is too shallow for a club like Arsenal looking to return to the elite companies. 27 goals or even more is expected of a player leading the lines for a top team hence as Mikel Arteta continues to search for fire power this summer, the aim should be a proven goal getter.
Gabriel Jesus and Gianluca Scamacca have been linked with the club but none of the names has managed to hit 20 club goals in a season, even though they are deemed perfect for the club’s set up.
Arteta will be charged with the responsibility of making the players return better numbers should either eventually complete a move to the Emirates this summer.
Author: Kehinde Hassan Afolabi