Arsenal and West Ham are both in the hunt for a striker this summer and their business could be intrinsically linked.
The top priority for West Ham and Arsenal in the next window will be to sign a striker.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing, but for West Ham they had plenty of foresight to sign the perfect David Moyes striker and didn’t take it.
West Ham have feared Arsenal will make them look silly by signing Viktor Gyokeres this summer.
The Sweden striker had been widely expected to join West Ham in the summer as the heir to Michail Antonio. Especially after Coventry failed to get promoted in the play-off final.
The Hammers were said to have had Gyokeres on a plate for £17.5m.
West Ham’s Gyokeres regret
In the end the all-action Swede moved to Sporting where he has been an absolute revelation.
Well now there’s been a development but it may actually benefit the Hammers.
West Ham are boosted as Fabrizio Romano claims Arsenal will move for Europe’s 4th best striker.
With 22 league goals so far, Gyokeres is the joint fourth leading scorer in Europe.
ITK transfer reporter Romano has claimed Gyokeres is one of Mikel Arteta’s prime targets this summer.
Arsenal want super Swede
So West Ham will live to regret not snapping him up when they had the chance.
But it does mean the Hammers’ chances of signing longstanding target Ivan Toney from Brentford will be significantly boosted.
Toney is another top striker West Ham passed up the chance of signing.
West Ham majority owner David Sullivan lists failing to sign Toney from Peterborough for £10m as one of his worst ever decisions.
Gunners shift boosts West Ham’s Toney hopes
Brentford boss Thomas Frank has admitted Toney will be sold this summer.
And Toney has been linked with West Ham again in the last week. It comes with many suggesting Arsenal and other elite clubs are no longer interested in signing the 28-year-old.
So if Arsenal are focusing on signing Gyokeres in a big money deal, then that very much paves the way for the Hammers regarding Toney.
And he would be just what West Ham need to lead their attack.
The Hammers are expected to sell Lucas Paqueta to Man City for £85m when the FA case against him is concluded.
So money won’t be an issue for West Ham, who will move Mohammed Kudus into Paqueta’s position with Jarrod Bowen on the right and a new striker up top.