Arsenal show ‘increasing interest’ in £80m striker deal following Man Utd loss, with a three-player transfer shortlist unveiled.

Arsenal have reportedly intensified their pursuit of a highly-rated forward following their penalty shootout loss to Manchester United in the FA Cup third round on Sunday.

Despite playing with a man advantage for much of the second half and all of extra time after Diogo Dalot’s 61st-minute red card, Mikel Arteta’s side were eliminated from the competition. Adding to their woes, forward Gabriel Jesus was stretchered off after 40 minutes due to a knee injury, which will now require scans to assess its severity.

“It’s a big worry, that’s my feeling,” Arteta admitted post-match. “He [Gabriel Jesus] came off with a lot of pain, touching his knee. It doesn’t look good.”

Jesus’ injury compounds Arsenal’s mounting fitness issues this season. Captain Martin Odegaard missed nearly two months after an ankle injury in September, while Bukayo Saka, who suffered an injury during the 5-1 win over Crystal Palace in December, is expected to remain sidelined for over two months. Saka, 23, is currently tied with Gabriel Martinelli as Arsenal’s second-highest scorer this season, each netting five goals. Only Kai Havertz has more, with seven, though his finishing has been criticized, particularly after missing key chances against United.

This growing need for attacking reinforcements may push Arsenal to make a move in the January transfer window. Arteta is reportedly a fan of Athletic Club’s Nico Williams, but his high wage demands could be a stumbling block. Instead, Arsenal are said to have “growing interest” in Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres, whose £80m price tag might delay a potential deal until the summer, according to The Independent.

Gyokeres, 26, has been one of Europe’s standout strikers this season, scoring an incredible 32 goals in 30 appearances. He has also attracted interest from Manchester United, having previously thrived under Ruben Amorim at Sporting.

Another option for Arsenal is RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Šeško. The 21-year-old has scored 12 goals in 24 matches this season and was linked with a move to north London in the summer of 2024. However, Šeško was reportedly hesitant to join then, fearing he would be second choice to Havertz. The Slovenian forward has a £55m buy-out clause in a contract that runs

until 2029.