Declan Rice has already proved why Arsenal shouldn’t be scared to send £80m bid before deadline day

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Arsenal are running out of time to recruit a forward in the January transfer window but, one possibility has emerged.

If there’s one thing that will stop Arsenal from winning the Premier League title, it will be the lack of depth in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

In the front line, the Gunners are severely lacking firepower, not eased by the serious injuries Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus sustained.

Amid key absences and lack of individual form, Arteta has pleaded for Arsenal to sign a new striker, something that could determine how the remainder of the season plays out.

• READ MORE: Arsenal’s eight-man transfer shortlist revealed as Mikel Arteta wants new forward options

Declan Rice gives Arsenal a motive to spend big on Jhon Duran 

At the time of writing, six days of the January transfer window remain, putting pressure on Arsenal to deliver before time runs out.

The Gunners are likely to sign a forward before the end of the month but, it remains to be seen who fits what Arteta wants.

As time ticks down and fans grow more concerned, a possible route to acquiring a striker has emerged as Arsenal are believed to have made contact with Jhon Duran.

The issue comes in that Arsenal would have to pay £80m to sign Duran, who is one of the Premier League’s most clinical finishers.

While it’s a significant price to pay for a mid-season signing, it’s not one that Arsenal should be opposed to, given the Gunners’ track record in recruiting for high cost in the Premier League.

Arsenal signed Declan Rice for £105m back in 2023, as Arteta understood that the midfielder was the perfect profile for his project.

Since the England international’s move across London, the Gunners haven’t looked back, as Rice is one of the most reliable players in the Arsenal squad. 

So, with the knowledge that sometimes, you do get what you pay for, the Arsenal hierarchy mustn’t hesitate to spend big on a player like Duran who is undoubtedly the missing piece to Arteta’s puzzle.

Arsenal mustn’t be deterred by Duran’s price tag

The Colombian is just 21 years old and has only 55 Premier League appearances to his name but, in that time, he’s earned the headlines.

This season, Duran is averaging a goal every 89 minutes in the Premier League, scoring seven times from an average of just 31 minutes per game.

Added to that, the striker is massively overperforming in the expected goals (xG) metric, scoring seven from 4.86xG, informing just how good of a finisher he is.

Right now, Arsenal don’t have time to waste and are incredibly bare in attack, with Kai Havertz the only identifiable striker in Arteta’s squad. 

Paying for Duran would be a surprise but, spending £80m on a player who could transform the outlook of the season could result in a similar outcome to Arsenal’s decision to break the bank to sign Rice.

Premier League-proven players are hard to come by for a limited cost and given just how much potential Duran has, Arteta could truly strike gold by recruiting the Aston Villa forward.