Arsenal are "set to smash" last summer's record spend of £208 million when the window reopens on "three or four marquee signings", with an £86 million star earmarked as their priority, according to a report this week.

Edu prepares for summer as Arsenal chase down title

Ahead of an all-important clash with Chelsea this evening, and one which will go a long way to determine if Arsenal can keep chase with Man City, sporting director Edu is already devising ways to strengthen Mikel Arteta's ranks for next season.

Update from "internal" source on rumoured Arsenal bid for Santiago Gimenez

The Gunners are desperately searching for a striker this summer.

ByBen Browning

The Gunners are currently top on goal difference and will go a further three points clear with victory over Chelsea, but Pep Guardiola's City will have multiple games in hand, so the title is theirs to lose mathematically as things stand.

Liverpool are also locked firmly in the race as neutral supporters anticipate yet another exciting end to the Premier League season. If Arsenal are usurped to the title again, after coming close last season as well, it is back to the drawing board ahead of 2024/2025.

As fantastic as Arsenal have been over the campaign, there are some holes in Arteta's squad which need addressing, perhaps most notably the lack of a world-class 20-plus-goals-per-season striker.

As per Fabrizio Romano and many other reliable sources, Arsenal are set to sign an "important" striker this summer, and many feature in their thinking. The likes of Victor Osimhen, Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres and others have been widely linked, and this comes as they also prioritise other positions.

Bukayo Saka

14

Kai Havertz

9

Leandro Trossard

9

Martin Odegaard

8

Declan Rice

6

"It's no great secret that Arsenal want to sign a striker this summer," said journalist Charles Watts last month. "When the window opens it will be the priority, along with a midfielder and potentially another wide attacker.

"It will be interesting to see whether they move for Victor Osimhen. He, like Toney, is a player they like and I know that his representatives have visited Arsenal's training ground for talks with Edu.

"Those talks took place in the summer when Arsenal eventually signed Gabriel Jesus. Jesus was always the priority that year, but Osimhen was definitely a player they viewed as a serious alternative."

Now, a report by Football Transfers has shared an update on their striker search, while making a pretty exciting claim on their ambition.

Arsenal ready to smash record on marquee signings with Gyokeres the priority

According to their information, Arsenal are ready to smash their summer transfer record on three to four marquee signings when the window reopens.

Their previous record outlay, £208 million last year, is likely to be beaten as Edu and co seek to spend. Their "priority" target is "unplayable" striker Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon, who's scored a quite incredible 38 goals in all competitions while registering 16 assists in that time.

Arsenal are said to be dedicated to building a squad matching Europe's finest, which will come as an enticing bit of news for supporters, regardless of the outcome of their title challenge.