Gunners find Isak alternative as ambitious move for Man Utd hero backed

Arsenal look set to have a busy summer ahead of them as they aim to sign a striker while a new sporting director is also on the agenda for the North London side before next season

Arsenal have plenty to do throughout the remainder of the season as next term comes into view. The Gunners at first need to round off the campaign, where they will hope to secure at least a runners-up spot in the Premier League.

They are also of course still in the Champions League where they will take on Spanish giants Real Madrid. And while there is still a few months left, Arsenal might also have one eye on next season.

The North London side still need to appoint a new sporting director following Edu’s exit. Transfers could then be pencilled in, with a striker right at the top of Arsenal’s shopping list.

There have been some major developments on both of those fronts over the past 24 hours. So with that being said, take a look at the standout headlines from the Emirates Stadium over the past day:

Arsenal’s hopes of signing Alexander Isak already appear to be over after being told his eye-watering £150m price tag. Luckily, it appears that they have already identified a cheaper replacement.

According to The Sun, Arsenal are tracking Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike. The Frenchman has scored 19 goals this season and could be available for around £60m.

But Arsenal could face competition for his services. It is further reported that Liverpool, Manchester United, Newcastle and Bayern Munich are also keeping a close eye on developments regarding the 22-year-old’s future.

From a current striker to a former one now, with Arsenal having been urged to appoint Zlatan Ibrahimovic as Edu’s replacement as sporting director. Former Arsenal star Anders Limpar said to SveaCasino: "When it comes to Zlatan Ibrahimovic, he is a God.

“I would love to see him replace Edu at Arsenal, it would be a dream come true. First of all, he is an absolute winner. He would never stop until he has won. I would be the first one to support him working behind the scenes at Arsenal, he could take them to the next level."

Ibrahimovic currently holds an advisory role with his former club AC Milan, a role he has held since December 2023. The 43-year-old had only retired in June of the same year.

Who should Arsenal sign in the summer? Share your thoughts in the comments below

If Ibrahimovic is tempted to the Emirates, he has a different transfer window to get to grips with. The Premier League have announced that there will be two different windows this summer to coincide with the Club World Cup.

It will now open on Sunday 1 June to Tuesday 10 June, due to an exceptional registration period relating to the competition It will then reopen on Monday 16 June and close on Monday 1 September in line with other European leagues.

The decisions were made at a Premier League shareholders' meeting on Thursday morning.

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