'Never less, always more' - Mikel Arteta hints Arsenal will spend big to bring in new striker as Gunners consider Viktor Gyokeres, Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko bids

The Gunners have shortlisted Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko as their three targets this summer, report The Independent, with one of the trio set to be tasked with ending Arteta's side's woes in front of goal. The Spaniard has hinted the club will be prepared to push the boat out to land their man.

Arteta said: “The thing is that the budget is like when you have your wedding, you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and never less, and it’s always more. When you build a house it’s always more. Normally this happens. And you prepare for different scenarios. Then unfortunate things happen. Sometimes we want a player and suddenly we have an injury or that player gets injured. There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. There is always an idea of what we can do, what we can improve, what the priorities are going to be and then let’s see if we can do it.”

Arteta also responded to claims of a difference in opinoin with sporting director Andrea Berta over which striker to sign, adding: "Well, if that happens, that means that we cannot explain ourselves well enough, and we are not clear enough on what we want, and I guarantee you that hasn’t happened. It didn’t happen in five and a half years with Edu, and I guarantee you it hasn’t happened with Andrea. We have learned a lot and some of them (transfers) have worked really well and others have not. So we have to make sure that we make the right calls. But we are all human beings and unfortunately, nobody has got a crystal ball here. But Andrea is someone who is very driven, very clear in his ideas, in his vision and how we want to achieve it.”

Arsenal's lack of goals has hindered their title hopes this season, with the Gunners scoring 17 fewer goals than champions Liverpool and only conceding four fewer. They don't have a single player in double figures for goals in the Premier League, prompting potential spend this summer.

The Gunners have not yet secured their Champions League qualification, with Sunday's game against Newcastle vital in ensuring that it does not go to a nervy final day. Arteta's team sit second in the table currently, but are just three points ahead of sixth-place Manchester City.