Liverpool hijacking Arsenal, Man Utd transfer the best option for Slot as striker targets ranked

Liverpool are going to sign a striker this summer…surely. Will they be shrewd about it, or get all giddy like they did with Florian Wirtz?

We’ve ranked ten of Arne Slot’s reported striker targets — including four from the Premier League.

10) Alexander Isak (Newcastle)

He’s obviously the best fit, but at £150m, there’s virtually no chance Liverpool make a move this summer. If the Wirtz deal somehow collapses, you never know…but even then, it’s hard to see Newcastle entertaining the idea. A dream signing – but nothing more than that.

9) Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth)

Semenyo isn’t your typical out-and-out No.9, but is he a better option up front than Darwin Nunez? God yes. And we’re fairly confident he could develop into a pretty darn good striker.

Liverpool interest in the Bournemouth star seems fairly low-key at the moment. Had Mohamed Salah not signed a new contract, their pursuit might have been much more serious, with Semenyo seen as a versatile and talented option who could fill multiple roles across the front line.

8) Ademola Lookman (Atalanta)

It didn’t go well for Lookman in the Premier League during spells at Everton, Fulham and Leicester, but he’s a different player now – and so, so much better.

There have been rumours of a potential swap deal involving Federico Chiesa, with Lookman also (obviously) linked to Manchester United.

It’d be smart business for both clubs: Atalanta would get a Serie A-proven attacker as a ready-made replacement, while Liverpool would land one of Europe’s most dangerous forwards. Chiesa has barely featured for the Reds, wants to return to Italy, and likely will this summer. For once, it all makes sense.

Lookman managed just 11 goals and six assists in 96 Premier League appearances, but he’s not that player anymore. He now boasts 60 goal involvements in 93 Serie A games – a frankly absurd return. Having scored a hat-trick in a European final, the 27-year-old has blossomed into a complete forward, capable of playing left, right or centrally. He’ll surely fancy another crack in England and Liverpool would be mad to overlook him.

7) Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt)

The finances involved are likely to stop Ekitike from leaving Frankfurt this summer. You can understand the reluctance to spend over £80million on someone who flopped at PSG. But it’s also easy to ignore that spell after the season he’s just had.

In 2024/25, the 22-year-old Frenchman scored 22 goals and registered 12 assists in 48 games across all competitions. Beyond the numbers, he impressed with his all-round play and a frightening mix of height, power and technique. For someone his size, he really shouldn’t be that quick and slick.

There’s plenty of interest, but his colossal valuation being met this summer feels wildly unrealistic.

6) Jonathan David (Lille)

From an extortionate transfer fee to no transfer fee at all – David is the best free agent on the market. But he’s reportedly doing his best to price himself out of a move with some hefty salary demands. That could mean this saga drags on into late August.

His goal record speaks for itself: 109 goals in 232 games for Lille. It’s genuinely baffling he’s stayed there this long, and even more so that clubs aren’t queueing up now he’s available for nothing.

He’s been linked with a Premier League move for what feels like forever, but even at just 25, it almost feels like that ship has sailed. David probably thinks a club like West Ham is beneath him – and to be fair, he does deserve Champions League football. And after splashing a club-record fee on Wirtz, the idea of a proven goalscorer for free could turn John Henry’s pupils into dollar signs.

5) Yoane Wissa (Brentford)

There haven’t been many concrete links between Wissa and Liverpool, but with Thomas Frank off to Spurs, the DR Congo international might fancy a big move. At 28, and with 19 Premier League goals this season, it does feel like a case of now or never.

Arsenal have been mentioned, while Nottingham Forest reportedly tried to sign him in January. The Forest link feels more realistic – and ambitious too, with European football returning to the City Ground.

Liverpool need a striker, but they’re not completely desperate, which gives them the freedom to consider someone a little less flashy. Wissa fits that bill: experienced and clinical.

4) Benjamin Sesko (RB Leipzig)

Like Ekitike, the fee is colossal – but so is the potential. Leipzig are open to selling, and with no Champions League football on offer, Sesko wants the move. Still, the Slovenian won’t come cheap, no matter how keen both parties are to get a deal done.

Also like Ekitike, he’s 22, shining in the Bundesliga, and seen as a signing for both the present and the future.

Arsenal reportedly view him as their top striker target ahead of Viktor Gyokeres, but if Liverpool move decisively, Arne Slot has every chance of winning the race for his highly sought-after signature.

3) Joao Pedro (Brighton)

According to Ben Jacobs, the Brighton man is one of four strikers being ‘assessed internally’ by Liverpool. A summer move looks likely after a few difficult months on the south coast – and to be fair, the Reds could do a lot worse.

The Brazilian is another versatile attacker, capable of playing across the front three or in the No.10 role. Ten goals in 27 Premier League appearances isn’t spectacular, but it’s a decent return for someone drifting in and out of a mid-table side.

That number might dip if he’s no longer on penalties with Salah still around, but there’s clear potential for growth with a title contender side.

2) Victor Osimhen (Napoli)

A ‘private meeting’ has definitely taken place – because GiveMeSport says so – which means Liverpool are definitely in the race for Osimhen’s signature.

We say race as if that fairly reflects the global level of interest in him. Al Hilal tried and failed, and Galatasaray are reportedly keen to keep him permanently after an incredible season on loan. Other than that? Radio silence.

Every time I write about Osimhen, I end up asking the same question: why? Why the hell does no-one want him? Well, apart from clubs he clearly doesn’t want to join. He’s an elite goalscorer and a world-class centre-forward. What’s not to like? Attitude, maybe? Wages? Honestly, I don’t know him personally, so couldn’t possibly comment.

Napoli are supposedly asking for £63m – which seems like a decent deal, all things considered. And if desperation creeps in, that fee could dip a little. After already splashing £125m on Wirtz, what’s another £50m for a proven No.9 – their first in a long time?

1) Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting)

The headlines have focused on Arsenal and Manchester United, but we think Gyokeres would be a near-perfect fit for Slotball.

The Swedish striker offers a blend of relentless pressing, intelligent movement and physical presence – a profile that closely mirrors Santiago Gimenez, the most prolific No.9 Arne Slot has worked with. The Mexican scored 49 goals and provided 13 assists in 85 games under Slot at Feyenoord, and Gyokeres is cut from the same cloth, but a level above.

This would be a statement signing. And a smart one. And one that would upset Man United fans. And Arsenal fans. We’re sold.

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