Retired Arsenal striker Alan Smith has urged his old club to make the signing of Alexander Isak a priority, and he suggests the Gunners could sell Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko to fund a transfer for the Newcastle forward.
Isak has been one of the Premier League's most productive attackers since he joined Newcastle in 2022, and Smith believes the Sweden international would be a great fit in North London.
However, Smith is not confident that Arsenal would be able to land the 25-year-old before the closing of the current transfer window this weekend.
"Well I think Alexander Isak would probably be the number one target because he's succeeded in the Premier League," Smith told AceOdds.com.
"There wouldn't be any settling down period where you're getting used to the league. He's at a good age as well - mid 20s - and he showed it in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semis, what a fine player he is.
"I think you need to bring in somebody who's technically very good, someone who's able to fit into that Arsenal way and also of course somebody who's going to score goals.
"You look at the goals scored last season by Arsenal. It wasn't deficient, it was only a few behind Man City, the title winners, without a centre forward. Everybody chipped in and now everybody isn't chipping in, chances are being missed.
"I think a new centre forward, more than anything, will lift the place. It would be a morale booster. That would be great but I'm not sure that would happen at the moment."
While Smith does not think a winter transfer is in the cards for Isak, partially due to the enormous fee Newcastle would likely demand, the Arsenal legend has zeroed in on two players that the club could try to sell to help fund such an acquisition.
"Some of the fringe players," he said. "Gabriel Jesus got injured again after that spell of scoring goals. He'll know better than me but we probably need to sell in order to free up money to buy and [Mikel] Arteta's got to decide who he could get out of the door to get more money.
"Zinchenko, doesn't get a game these days. The two lads from Man City. When Man City are allowing title rivals to have a couple of players you wonder why they are allowing that. We've probably seen the reason over the last two years."