Viktor Gyokeres, Marcus Rashford and six forwards Arsenal should be targeting before the end of January to save their season

Viktor Gyokeres might be the only man in football with his face more recognisable when it's masked rather than without obstruction, such is the global fame of his signature goal celebration. He already has 32 goals in 30 appearances for club side Sporting CP this season, plus a further nine in six matches for Sweden.

After scoring a hat-trick against Manchester City in the Champions League, all eyes were on Gyokeres when taking on Arsenal a month later, though this time without Ruben Amorim on the touchline after the coach's move to Manchester United. Gyokeres didn't score against the Gunners, but threw himself about and proved enough of a nuisance against one of Europe's best defensive teams to show he would thrive in the Premier League - the biggest red flag against his name is he has zero appearances in a 'top five league' at the age of 26.

Gyokeres' Sporting release clause is believed to be worth around £85m (€100m), but the Portuguese giants are said to be more open-minded to bids of £70m (€83m) in the summer. Theoretically, Arsenal could take that decision out of Sporting's hands by meeting the release clause now, ultimately skipping an ever-increasing queue. A reunion with Amorim at United is becoming all the more conceivable and could seem completely realistic come the end of the season.

When Arsenal faced a similar striker crossroads midway through the 2021-22 season - one in which their lack of comparative firepower cost them a top-four spot - Dusan Vlahovic was the one who got away, leaving Fiorentina for Juventus instead.

That hasn't come back to haunt the Gunners at least, with the Serbian proving a good-not-great addition in Turin, one perpetually linked with an exit whenever the transfer window re-opens. On this occasion, he is reportedly priced at around £45m (€55m).

In terms of pure output, Vlahovic might not even be too much of a long-term upgrade on Havertz, but as a more natural finisher and an out-and-out nine, there would be a bit more semblance and structure about Arsenal in the final third.

Jhon Duran's spicy and explosive character may see Arsenal and Arteta steer clear of him, but Aston Villa at least seem open to offers, even if they won't necessarily accept them midway through the campaign.

Still only 21 and hardly a year into his time as a first-team regular at Villa Park, it's difficult to assess whether Duran will prove a flash in the pan or someone able to compete at the top level for the next decade and beyond. The case for the latter is his raw ability and athleticism, combined with a punchy self-confidence bordering on arrogance, the want and desire to prove to the world he is the real deal.

Last summer's blatantly public attempt to force through a move to West Ham will make it hard to convince an elite club he is serious with his off-field ways, however.

Moving away from centre-forwards to those who come inside from wide areas, Ademola Lookman ticks a lot of boxes for the dynamic inverted winger Arsenal are craving. He lit up last season's Europa League final and downed a seemingly invincible Bayer Leverkusen with a memorable hat-trick in Dublin, before a move to Paris Saint-Germain fell through at the end of the summer window.

Over the autumn, it was claimed Atalanta could be mindful of offers as low as £21m (€25m), but with Gian Piero Gasperini's side now firmly in the Serie A title race, they may not be as receptive. If you're a team like Arsenal who need that sort of player, however, then it's surely worth an ask.

Lookman has bags of Premier League experience and has now found his footing at the top table of footballing forwards, finishing 14th in voting for the 2024 Ballon d'Or - ahead of Arsenal's Martin Odegaard (19th), Saka (21st), William Saliba (24th) and Declan Rice (26th). That's the pedigree the Gunners should be chasing.

Yeah, you already knew this suggestion was coming, right? We've already floated the idea of Marcus Rashford to Arsenal this month, and given he's still trying to find a new club, it's an idea worth revisiting.

So much of Arteta's project has stuck to a rigid script. Their summer spending was lowkey and on-brand, but to be harsh, it was also dull and boring. Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori and Sterling are fine players, though have not set the world alight when the club really needed those signings to hit the ground running.

The most left-field move would be to bring in a distressed asset like Rashford and nurture him back to the rip-roaring form he showcased a couple of seasons ago. Reports have long claimed he has admirers at the Emirates Stadium and they will hardly have a freer run at him so they wish.

It could end disastrously. It's probably far more likely to turn out that way than successfully. But even the most cautious of Gooners must be thinking 'what if' about Rashford at Arsenal.

What if Arsenal went other a different United player instead? Alejandro Garnacho looks surplus to requirements at Old Trafford at a time where the club could do with raising capital to stave off PSR concerns.

Bringing in Garnacho, who is capable of playing on both sides and doesn't turn 21 until July, would be like a do-over of how Arsenal and Arteta have handled Martinelli, once one of the Premier League's trickiest wingers who hasn't adapted well to defenders doubling up on him or evolved his game to combat it. Garnacho, meanwhile, has bags of experience for a player of his age, as well as the exposure in the spotlight of playing for major teams at club and country level.

Like Duran and Rashford though, Garnacho has suffered a little bit of a character assassination over the last few months. Once more, this would be a deal based around buying the dip and hoping for an almighty return. Time is on the winger's side to come good, and if United really are willing to do business, then Arsenal should be sniffing around.

The suggestion that there's no one out there to improve Arsenal in the short and long term is, frankly, ridiculous. There's plenty of talent about the Premier League and the rest of Europe who should be under consideration.

Napoli's Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, who appears to be on his way to Paris Saint-Germain and was wanted by Liverpool, is certainly a winger who should be on their radar, yet hasn't even been linked with a switch to north London. Manchester City-bound Omar Marmoush also fits the bill as a versatile forward with an eye for goal and that spark of ingenuity this Arsenal is sorely lacking.

Ipswich's Liam Delap, Brentford's Bryan Mbeumo and PSG's Bradley Barcola fit the bill as well, though are almost definitely off limits this month and should be earmarked for the summer instead. Even if he does sign a new contract at Wolves, Matheus Cunha ought to be in that bracket too. The dream would be Alexander Isak, but Newcastle's record price tag will almost definitely prove prohibitive.

Regardless, Arsenal can't end another window without upgrading their forward line in some way. Goals are too valuable a currency for them to ignore in the market for any longer.