Arsenal are considering a shock £30m move for a Serie A striker who has already played against the Gunners in the Champions League this season. 

Mikel Arteta is aiming to bolster his side's Premier League title credentials by adding Atalanta's Mateo Retegui to his squad, when the January transfer window opens next week. 

Despite the recent good form from rejuvenated forward Gabriel Jesus - whose five goals in a week against Crystal Palace have seen the attacker reborn in Christmas week - Arsenal are most definitely in hunt for a new striker to help boost hopes of a first league title in more than two decades. 

Over recent months the North Londoners have been heavily linked with Sporting Club de Portugal's Viktor Gyokeres, but the former Coventry forward's disappointing Champions League display against the Gunners during their 5-1 rout of the Lisbon giants quelled further interest from Arsenal. 

Despite reigning champions Manchester City flagging this term, after winning four titles on the bounce - the last two with Arsenal as valiant runners-up - the Gunners are lagging behind Arnie Slot's Christmas leaders Liverpool.

And according to reports coming out of Italy over the Christmas season, Atalanta's Retegui is now emerging as a viable alternative, after the Gunners sent scouts to watch the Serie A striker in action. 

Of course, Arsenal fans will be aware of the 25-year-old Argentine striker, after the forward, nicknamed "il Re tigre" ("the tiger king") after the former Genoa forward has impressed for Gasparini's Bergamo-based side - scoring 14 goals for Atalanta in 25 appearances across all competitions so far this season, after only joining the club from Genoa in the summer in a deal worth around £23m.

Gunners fans will also know Retegui's name after David Raya's outstanding double save from Retegui's penalty during the goalless draw in Arsenal's opening Champions League match of the season back in September. 

Arsenal host Ipswich Town at the Emirates on Friday evening, aiming to banish the bad news that Bukayo Saka will be missing for "many months" according to Arteta this week.