Arsenal interested in signing 24-year-old Serie A star as Mikel Arteta draws up six-man transfer target for next summer: Reports 

Arsenal have reportedly begun planning a move for Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic next summer. The Gunners have drawn up a six-man striker shortlist for the 2025 summer transfer window, as per TEAMtalk.

The north Londoners fought tooth-and-nail in a heated title race against Manchester City last season. Despite showing excellent form, especially in the second half of the campaign after their Dubai camp, Mikel Arteta's men failed to end their 20-year wait for a league title.

Arsenal finished second in the league last term, just two points behind the Cityzens. The Gunners were heavily linked with multiple strikers over the summer while they prepared for another title charge for the 2024-25 season.

The north London outfit were rumored to be interested in the likes of Ivan Toney, Viktor Gyokeres, and Victor Osimhen. Multiple reports suggested that Arteta was keen to bring a striker to the Emirates Stadium as well.

However, the club failed to reinforce their options in the No. 9 position but managed to make other signings. The Gunners signed David Raya, Riccardo Calafiori, and Mikel Merino on permanent deals while bringing in Bournemouth's Neto and Raheem Sterling on loan.

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are interested in signing Vlahovic next summer. The Juventus forward had a great campaign last season, scoring 16 goals in 33 Serie A games.

The report claims that the Gunners have a shortlist of strikers they're targeting next summer, including Vlahovic, Viktor Gyokeres, Jonathan David, Benjamin Sesko, and Marcus Thuram.

"I’m a little disappointed with their start" - Paul Scholes says Arsenal have been 'poor' this season

Manchester United icon Paul Scholes is disappointed by the north London outfit's start to the 2024-25 campaign. The pundit believes the Gunners have been in rather poor form this term.

Mikel Arteta's men drew 2-2 against Manchester City in an entertaining Premier League clash at the Etihad last weekend (September 22). Erling Haaland and John Stones got on the scoresheet for the Cityzens while Riccardo Calafiori and Gabriel Magalhaes scored for the Gunners.

Speaking about the Gunners' campaign so far, Scholes said on The Overlap:

"I sat here at the start of the season and thought Arsenal would win the league but I’m a little disappointed with their start to the season. Arsenal have been poor this season."

"You look at all the goals they scored last year and everyone was talking about getting a striker in the summer and you thought they probably didn’t need one. But after five or six games it feels like Arsenal are struggling. It’s not quite clicking."

The Gunners are now fourth in the league standings, two points off the top of the league occupied by City. Meanwhile, Liverpool are in second and Aston Villa are in third, each side with 12 points.