Arsenal sit at the top of the Premier League table, but Mikel Arteta and his men have been here before and he will know that the January transfer window could be advantageous for the title-chasing club.
In particular, Manchester City are keeping an eye on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo, who has nine goals and three assists in the league this season.
Semenyo, an Arsenal fan, has attracted the attention of Andrea Berta, but the Gunners have shown as much interest as City. Is it because another star is in sight?
Arsenal need to sign a forward
This is an elite group, but Arsenal’s never-ending goalscoring problems have continued this season, albeit to a lesser extent.
Arteta needs to add some firepower and must admit he is yet to hit his stride since Victor Goqueres arrived at the Emirates from Sporting Lisbon for £64m, scoring 97 goals in 102 games.
But signing another big-money center forward probably isn’t the smartest move.
Sources in Spain said this month that Arsenal were open to the idea and had made an opening offer to Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is unhappy at the Santiago Bernabéu.
The 24-year-old may be overshadowed by Xabi Alonso up front, but he is a world-class forward and Arsenal would be the perfect home for his further development.
The Whites will consider selling him, but it won’t be for less than £75m. Arsenal’s offer totaled €60m (approximately £51m).
How Rodrigo will strengthen Arsenal’s attack
Rodrigo didn’t have his best year in 2025, but he is still an elite and versatile forward who scored 70 goals and provided 55 assists for Real Madrid, arguably the biggest soccer club in the world.
It was just last year that teammate Jude Bellingham hailed him as “probably the most talented player on the team,” with his fundamental physicality that offsets his flashy side.
Indeed, over the past 12 months, the Brazil international has been, in the words of analyst Spencer Mossman, “one of the best wingers in the world”, ranking in the top 1% for pass completions, top 4% for progressive carries and top 10% for shot creation actions, according to FBref.
The action that creates the shot is part of the play that leads to the shot. This includes the moment a pass, take-on, or foul is drawn.
This is an elite forward and a player who can further enhance Arteta’s burgeoning project. With his pedigree on the biggest stage and ability to elevate the game of his teammates, he may even pull Gokeres out of the cave.
Gökeres, 27, has scored five goals in 18 Premier League games this season, including 15 starts. However, he has not been able to perform to his full potential, contradicting Arteta’s fluidity up front.
There’s no need for a centre-forward to be a ballerina, but Gokeres has struggled to break into Arsenal’s attack, making minimal contributions each game.
His deterioration becomes even more apparent when you look at his metrics compared to last season.
Victor Goqueres – Liga Portugal vs Premier League | ||
|---|---|---|
Statistics (* per match) | 24/25 | 25/26 |
Match (start) | 33(31) | 18(15) |
the goal | 39 | 5 |
assist | 7 | 0 |
touch | 40.0 | 19.1 |
Number of shots (on target)* | 4.2 (2.4) | 1.7 (0.6) |
missed a big opportunity | twenty three | 7 |
Exact path* | 15.0 (73%) | 5.1 (61%) |
Opportunities created* | 1.9 | 0.6 |
It was successful. dribble* | 1.8 (48%) | 0.3 (21%) |
Tackle* | 0.3 | 0.2 |
Win a duel* | 5.5 (50%) | 2.4 (34%) |
Data via Sofascore | ||
As you can see, the hulking forward has struggled since returning to England’s shores in July.
But it’s not all his fault. For example, Gabriel Martinelli hasn’t been at his best this season, failing to score in 10 games in the Premier League. Arsenal content creator James commented after the recent win at Bournemouth that the Brazilian winger was too one-dimensional. ”
His compatriot Rodrigo would undoubtedly prove an upgrade, and with a player of his flair, versatility and innate creativity – he has been described by former manager Carlo Ancelotti as a “special striker” who can “play in any position” – he could be the perfect signing to keep Man City at bay and finally win a silver medal and Premier League title after two decades of searching.
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Arsenal struggled to win against Bournemouth in the Premier League.
