For many Arsenal fans, the solution to the problem has been clear for a long time. Having finished as runners-up for three consecutive seasons, the "Gunners" have never had a real number of 9 to carry the attack.
Therefore, Arsenal need a striker who scores 20 goals a season to turn frustrations close to the finish line into a Premier League championship.
Last summer, manager Mikel Arteta ignored those calls. As a result, Arsenal once again ran out of steam in the race, helpingless to watch Liverpool break through at the end of the season.
This time, the Spanish strategist could not continue to take risks. If he misses a quality striker and continues to fail, he will certainly face a wave of fierce criticism for conservatism in the transfer market.
And then, the contract that The Gunners dreamed of came true. Viktor Gyokeres - one of the best strikers in Europe in the past two seasons - has arrived at the Emirates.
In his two seasons at Sporting CP, the Swedish striker scored 97 goals in 102 matches, including 68 goals/66 matches in the Primeira Liga, in addition to 17 assists. These numbers not only speak to class, but also open up hope for the final piece for Arsenal's ambition to conquer the throne.
Statistics show that Gyokeres possesses a sharp goal-scoring instinct, always knowing how to appear in the right place, at the right time. The challenge for next season is whether the 27-year-old striker can adapt to the speed and harshness of the Premier League.
This striker must somewhat transform his scoring ability to a bigger tournament. Although he has never played in one of the top five European national championships, he still left his mark with 6 goals in just 8 matches in the Champions League last season.
If Gyokeres can maintain that performance, the next question will be for Arsenal. Is just one excellent striker enough for them to overcome Liverpool and Man City in the title race?
Because the addition of Gyokeres almost certainly leads to the departure of another player, most likely Kai Havertz. Despite his limited scoring performance, the German international still brings great value in his ability to move without the ball, connect the playing style and create space for teammates.
In other words, with Gyokeres, Arsenal have a real goalscorer. But that does not mean that they will immediately strengthen to break the dominance of their direct competitors.
"The first goal is always very important, and the way he scores is also great. Everything he does, from the way he moves, chooses the moment, to predicting the next move and the location of the space that will appear, is all instinct. That is the reason why he has scored so many goals in recent seasons.
He has the ability to attract both of the opponent's centre-backs, the type of player who if you leave him in a one-on-one situation, he will destroy you. So he will create a lot of space for us" - Mikel Arteta said about Gyokeres after the win over Athletic Bilbao.
