Matt is an experienced sports journalist and Senior Editor at Football FanCast with 15 years of experience covering football across the Premier League, EFL and Scottish football. Since joining the publication in 2019, he has progressed from writer to Assistant Editor and Senior Editor, a position he has held since 2021.  

A Sports Journalism graduate, Matt previously served as Arsenal and Premier League Editor at VAVEL and gained club-media experience with Chesterfield FC. His journalism has appeared through the Press Association, with his work featured by Sky Sports and the Daily Mail.
 

Throughout his career, Matt has interviewed prominent football figures including Arsène Wenger, Ray Parlour, Alan Smith, Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton, while also appearing on Arsenal Fan TV and Love Sport Radio.
 

Today, Matt leads Football FanCast's features team, overseeing opinion coverage, editorial standards and content strategy while continuing to provide detailed football analysis.

In January 2025, Arsenal needed a new striker. In the summer of 2025 they needed a new striker and in the summer of 2026, they needed a new striker again.

It's becoming a big issue and a theme of their transfer windows. Sure, Viktor Gyokeres arrived just over a year ago and powered home 21 goals en route to winning the Premier League and reaching the Champions League final but the Swede's future at the Emirates Stadium is already in doubt.

The Gunners have pushed, they have tried to improve their attack. Over the summer Vinicius Junior was a key target but he ultimately ended up staying in Madrid. Likewise, Julian Alvarez also chose to stay in the Spanish capital. It was Barcelona or nothing for the Argentine.

So, after a difficult start to the season for Kai Havertz and Gyokeres, it's back to the drawing board for Andrea Berta and Co in 2027.

The problem with Havertz & Gyokeres

Signed in 2025, Arsenal supporters came into their title-winning season with the hopes that Gyokeres would be the answer to their prayers. In some ways, he was.

Yet, after a 21-goal campaign, he did not hit the dizzy heights that he reached in Portugual. During his final season in Lisbon, the big Sweden international scored 54 goals in 52 games for Sporting.

Fans were realistic. They knew he wasn't going to score a similar tally in English football but they did expect more as far as his overall play was concerned. This is a player, who over 12 months after arriving, still hasn't got used to the way Arsenal play. You can say his teammates haven't become accustomed to the way he plays either.

Gyokeres thrives on chaos. He thrives on pace in transition and on balls in behind. That's simply not how Arsenal operate. Mikel Arteta's side can be painful to watch in the final third at times. He likes his build-up to be in front of the defence with the ball to feet.

As a result, the former Coventry man has floundered. He's clinical in front of goal but his hold-up play leaves plenty to be desired.

Havertz, however, is the opposite. He's brilliant at linking the play but he's not so ruthless in front of goal. Arguably the nadir of his time with the Gunners came a week ago against Fleetwood Town in the Carabao Cup.

As Arsenal were knocked out by League Two opposition, the German centre-forward had as many as seven shots but only hit the target with one of them.

That sums up his time at the Emirates. He has scored some big goals, notably in the Champions League final, but like Gyokeres he has been too inconsistent.

Between them, they have only scored five times this season. If Arsenal are to create a dynasty, they need more from their forward line.

How Arsenal can solve the problem in the transfer window

Berta failed Arteta over the summer. After winning a first top-flight title in 22 years, this was the ideal time to be aggressive in the market, to show ambition.

Well, they certainly showed ambition by targeting Vini Jr but once all was said and done, they had only signed Christos Tzolis to bolster the attack.

The Greek is a handy and crafty player but he's not the elite winger supporters were craving. He was not going to move the needle.

So, when January comes around, Arsenal simply have to find a way to strengthen the attack. They are hoping to do so by luring Eli Junior Kroupi away from Bournemouth.

The Gunners were interested in the Frenchman throughout the last window but after he sustained a foot injury, it became clear that he was not going to leave the south coast behind.

Well, he may not leave in January either. The Cherries are keen to keep their 20-year-old forward and for good reason. Yet, Arsenal will try to tempt him to the capital.

That's according to TEAMtalk who report this week that despite Bournemouth's desire to keep the youngster, Arsenal maintain a strong interest in the player.

Kroupi is not said to be pushing for a move away but he is keen on a move to the champions and is flattered by the interest being shown in him from Arteta's side.

Reportedly valued at £100m, it would take a mega fee to extract him from Bournemouth but for a side lacking firepower, Kroupi feels like a necessity.

Already hailed as "the next Mbappe" by GOAL, the talented forward has demonstrated that he is one of the finest young talents in the world right now.

Only last week, Kroupi was ranked as the eighth best young player in the world at the Ballon d'Or ceremony which tells you everything you need to know about how highly he is rated.

So, what makes him stand out? Well, he's a player who could offer the best bits of both Havertz and Gyokeres.

While he did not register a single assist last season, he demonstrated his creative talents just last weekend when he played a mesmeric ball in behind the Leeds defence to set up Amine Adli's goal. Creatively, he will only get better.

In front of goal, he's already first-class. No teenager has ever scored more goals (13) than Kroupi during their debut season in the Premier League.

When it comes to his work in the penalty box, Kroupi is already ahead of Havertz and Gyokeres. Last season, the Arsenal target had a better shot accuracy and had more shots on target per 90 minutes. His conversion rate was also equal to Gyokeres.

So, at the age of just 20, Kroupi is only going to get better. Do not be surprised if he is recognised as one of the best strikers in world football in the next few years.