Arsenal transfer news: Mikel Arteta joins 'race' for £85m Bundesliga striker despite interest from Premier League rival

Arsenal have been joined by Newcastle United in the race for Christian Michel Kofane from Bayer Leverkusen, the latest report has claimed.

The Gunners may be Premier League champions, but fans are restless, with many urging the club's hierarchy to strengthen the squad further.

Mikel Arteta was unable to match Paris Saint-Germain's firepower in the Champions League final in May, and if he is to reach the heights Luis Enrique has at PSG, he will need new attacking stars at the Emirates.

There are serious concerns about the long-term fit of current number nine Viktor Gyokeres, who struggled to make an impact in his debut season in England.

German outlet BILD claim that Arsenal have been joined by Newcastle in the hunt for Leverkusen striker Kofane, though the Bundesliga club would demand a fee in the region of £85m.

Christian Kofane assessed: The right striker for Mikel Arteta?

Arteta will be familiar with Kofane after witnessing him play against Arsenal in the Champions League's round of 16 in March.

During the clubs' clash at BayArena, the forward recorded the fastest speed of any player on the pitch (33km/h), and he was able to win a number of his battles against the likes of William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes.

In 44 games for Leverkusen last term, Kofane scored seven goals and registered five assists, though he only started 20 times.

The attacker will celebrate his 20th birthday on July 26, and while he is talented, his 2025-26 season was his first ever in one of Europe's top-five leagues.

Kofane's potential may be high, but bringing the striker in and expecting him to significantly contribute would be risky if Arteta has ambitions of winning more silverware.

Viktor Gyokeres problem: The wrong man to lead the line?

While the defensive system that Arteta used last season did not help any of his attacking players excel, it is difficult to ignore the individual flaws of Gyokeres.

Though the Swede scored 11 non-penalty goals in the league, eight of those strikes came against teams that finished in the bottom eight.

Gyokeres has often looked out of place against the division's best, but he will almost certainly be the team's leading number nine next term, and his limited impact on the pitch could prove problematic.

While better service might see the striker improve his goal tally marginally, he will still likely struggle against opponents such as Manchester City and Liverpool.