Arsenal should sign £85 million Premier League star before the transfer window closes – it could be their only hope

Add as preferred source on Google

The transfer options available to Arsenal and Mikel Arteta are slimming by the day, but they must still act.

The window closes on 3rd February, and the Gunners are yet to reinforce their depleted attacking cohort.

Benjamin Sesko is a target for Arsenal, although RB Leipzig are understood to be unwilling to negotiate over a potential deal.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are also interested in Matheus Cunha, but Wolves aren’t open to sanctioning a departure for their talisman.

Alexander Isak remains a pipe dream for Arteta, who must now look at last-minute alternatives to his primary targets to ensure his squad isn’t left short for the rest of the season.

Arsenal should sign Mohammed Kudus

Arsenal are down to their bare bones at the front end of the pitch, with only Kai Havertz, Leandro Trossard, Gabriel Martinelli and Raheem Sterling available to Arteta.

The Gunners cannot afford for these four players to be their only options for the rest of the season.

However, with the likes of Cunha, Sesko and Isak all seemingly unavailable, it’s looking more and more unlikely that they’ll get something done unless the Emirates hierarchy pivot to alternatives.

Mohammed Kudus has long been linked with Arsenal, and the Ghanaian should be revisited as a potential addition by the North London club in the final week of this transfer window.

While other options require negotiating with the clubs that own the player in question, Arsenal may not have that issue if they opted to pursue the West Ham man.

Kudus has an £85 million release clause, which comes into effect in the summer.

However, with West Ham resigned to a mid-table finish this season as they attempt to rebuild under Graham Potter, Arsenal could test the Irons’ resolve with a bid in the region of his imminent release clause.

An offer of this magnitude would surely be too difficult to turn down, particularly with no guarantees that suitors will match it come the summer.

Thus, Kudus represents a realistic acquisition for Arsenal this month, while he also certainly has the ability and a set of attributes that make him suited to Arteta’s team.

• READ MORE: Forget William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes, one lethal partnership has actually been carrying Arsenal this season

Why is Mohammed Kudus a good fit for Arsenal?

Arsenal are arguably short out wide and down the middle, so identifying someone who can fill all three positions up front would be sensible.

Kudus has been deployed on the left and right for West Ham, while he also operated as a striker for Ajax on several occasions.

This versatility would be hugely beneficial to Arsenal, although the most appealing aspect of the potential deal is his dribbling ability.

Martinelli and Trossard are both struggling to beat their man consistently, which is making Arteta’s side predictable in the final third.

Kudus specialises in ball carrying and dribbling, completing 4.49 successful take-ons per 90 minutes in the Premier League last season.

In comparison, Martinelli is managing 1.58 successful take-ons per match this term.

It wouldn’t be a cost-effective deal, but Kudus’ ability to unsettle low blocks could be game-changing for Arsenal, while a deal is there to be done with West Ham, unlike many other Arteta targets.