Bayern Munich winger Leroy Sane has reportedly rejected interest from Arsenal and Liverpool and has agreed to sign an extension to keep him in Germany.
Arsenal look destined to finish second behind Liverpool in the Premier League, and given they have often had to use midfielder Mikel Merino in the forward line, it would not be surprising if they looked to strengthen in the summer.
Though Liverpool are on the verge of clinching the top-flight title, they have been reliant on the output of 32-year-old Mohamed Salah to help them build their lead over the Gunners.
Mikel Arteta and Arne Slot will almost certainly be competing for the Premier League next term, and the destination of the title may be decided by which attacking players each club signs in the summer.
While Sane would have been available for free in the upcoming transfer window, Bundesliga transfer expert Christian Falk has claimed that Sane rejected advances from Arsenal and interest from Liverpool to continue with Bayern despite a reduction in salary.
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Arsenal's attacking needs
Though Merino has performed admirably as a makeshift number nine, he is unlikely to prove to be a long-term option for Arteta.
Nominal striker Kai Havertz has faced criticism this season for his ability in front of goal, as have a number of other attackers such as Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal have scored 63 goals in the Premier League, 12 fewer than league-leaders Liverpool despite the Reds boasting the advantage of a game in hand.
However, while the Gunners may need to sign a striker and a winger to compete for a place in the starting XI, they will need to add more creativity to the team considering their tally of 53 xG is just the seventh-best figure in the division.
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Liverpool's attacking needs
Salah leads the way in the Premier League for both goals (27) and assists (18), but despite the confirmation of his contract extension, his attacking productivity could lessen as he ages.
Strikers Darwin Nunez and Diogo Jota have failed to impress this season, with the duo only finding the back of the net a combined 11 times in the top flight in 2024-25.
There are also question marks about the future of Luis Diaz, who has routinely been linked with a move to Barcelona and the Saudi Pro League.
The Reds will arguably have just as much work to do as Arsenal in the frontline in the summer despite their success in the league this campaign.
Lewis Nolan
