Arsenal have made an approach to sign an exciting player, who their legendary former boss, Arsène Wenger, tried to tempt with a move there nearly 10 years ago.

Arsenal make transfer plans without Edu Gaspar

The departure of Edu Gaspar as sporting director is widely viewed as a real blow for Arsenal and manager Mikel Arteta, with the Brazilian playing an influential part in the club's on-field transformation since his employment in 2019.

The ex-Gunner and Invincible formed a key part of the recruitment team which saw Arsenal complete a bargain £30 million deal for club captain Martin Odegaard, as well as the likes of William Saliba, club-record signing Declan Rice, Ben White and other pivotal first teamers.

Edu also helped to appoint Arteta as the club's manager, so this team we're seeing right now has the 46-year-old's fingerprints all over it. News of his exit last Monday was met with real shock, given the announcement's very sudden nature, and there have understandably been questions about Arsenal's transfer plans moving forward.

Assistant director Jason Ayto, who worked under Edu for 12 months prior to his resignation, will take the role on an interim basis. That is according to journalist Charles Watts, who also says Ayto will be present at Arsenal's meeting in the USA to discuss transfer plans for next year.

Ayto, Arteta, managing director Richard Garlick, director Tim Lewis and the Kroenkes will be present at this sit-down, and who knows what the topics of discussion will be in regard to potential transfer targets.

Reports in the last few months suggest that they could well bring up the possibility of moving to sign a new number nine next year.

Arsenal had an offer rejected by Benjamin Sesko in the summer, with the Slovenian instead deciding to remain in the Bundesliga for a further season or more. Edu and co opted to end their pursuit of a new striker then and there, it would seem, but media sources believe they could return to the market for a centre-forward.

Many have been linked in the last few weeks, including Sporting Lisbon sensation Viktor Gyokeres. A name less regularly-mentioned than the Swede is Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen, who is on loan at the Turkish champions from Napoli.

According to Turkish newspaper Sabah, Arsenal have been in contact with Napoli over signing Osimhen, which is intriguing when you take into account the break-clause in his Galatasaray deal.

This would reportedly allow clubs to move for the £160,000-per-week Nigerian in January, cutting his Galatasaray spell short, but it is unclear whether Arsenal are planning to do that or wait until next summer. The 25-year-old, who has unsurprisingly been on fire in Turkey, has long been on Arsenal's radar - even during the Wenger years.

Osimhen told the Independent in 2020, talking about the U17 World Cup in 2015 (via The Mirror).

"Arsenal was a good option, but it wasn't the best at the time, I wanted to start playing as soon as I turned 18. I wanted to go to a place where I had time to invest in my game and improve physically. Wolfsburg showed me that possibility."