Arsenal Transfer Speculation: Top 9 Alternatives to Lukas Podolski

Arsenal supporters need to be aware that the Lukas Podolski deal could collapse.

To reopen old wounds, Jerzy Dudek had signed for Arsenal but the transfer fell through. Arsenal went on to sign Richard Wright whilst Dudek won the 2005 UEFA Champions League for Liverpool. 

Arsène Wenger will be hoping that the Podolski deal goes through but he should already know who to chase if the Köln forward doesn't end up at the Emirates. 

Here are the top nine alternatives to Podolski. 

9. Bas Dost, Heerenveen, Age: 22

Bas Dost is a better forward than Andy Carroll and, thankfully for Arsenal, Dost is not English. 

He's another one of these tall Dutch forwards that can header, score and create. Generally you get big guys like Carroll who can header and score (well...he used to able to score). 

I'll reserve my judgement on Dost because I remember hyping Afonso Alves, who was Pelé-esq for Heerenveen but failed for Middlesbrough. 

8. Mohamed Zidan, Mainz, Age: 30

It was sad seeing someone of Mohamed Zidan's mercurial talent warm the benches at Borussia Dortmund. 

All that frustration, anger and humiliation has been used to spur him on to score, score and score. He's been awesome for Mainz and has scored in every single game so far. 

He was classy when he decided not to celebrate his goal in respect to Die Borussen. 

It would be a calculated risk to sign someone like Zidan but he does have the pedigree and self-belief to play for Arsenal. 

7. Loïc Rémy, Marseille, Age: 25

Loïc Rémy has excellent physical attributes and would welcome the physicality of the Premier League. 

Rémy should be scoring more goals because he has a world-class passer in Mathieu Valbuena as a teammate. 

6. Stevan Jovetić, Fiorentina, Age: 22

Arsenal supporters should start praying that Fiorentina get relegated, which would mean a near-certain exit for Stevan Jovetić. 

Jovetić has single-handedly kept the Viola afloat.

5. Olivier Giroud, Montpellier, Age: 25

Is Olivier Giroud a one-season wonder? 

His goals scored/created average is one goal per game, which is a world-class rate. 

He's created 39 shots for his teammates, meaning he isn't just a goal poacher. 

4. Mathieu Valbuena, Marseille, Age: 27

I'd love to see Mathieu Valbuena play behind Robin van Persie because the Dutchman would score 40-50 goals per season. 

Valbuena has created 68 shots for his teammates this season. 

Somehow Loïc Rémy has only scored nine league goals. 

3. Dries Mertens, PSV Eindhoven, Age: 24

Eden Hazard is a world-class dribbler but Arsenal cannot afford him, just like in 2004 when they couldn't afford a then-23-year-old Djibril Cissé. 

Do you remember who Arsène Wenger opted to sign? 

A cheaper and less-desired Robin van Persie. How did that turn out? 

I do not see that much of a difference between Hazard and Dries Mertens. 

In the games I've watched, Mertens has been ridiculously good, like 21 goals and 22 assists good. 

2. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Schalke, Age: 28

Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is an expert finisher, boasts a high football IQ and has very good positional awareness. 

He's directly and indirectly contributed to 46 goals in 36 games, which is Lionel Messi/Cristiano Ronaldo-like numbers. 

1. Luuk De Jong, Twente, Age: 21

Forget about Eden Hazard.

I'm surprised Luuk de Jong doesn't receive more hype because he looked world class when he tore PSV Eindhoven apart. 

He beat them on the ground, he beat them aerially and he beat them with his passing. 

A few months earlier, he single-handedly defeated Groningen with an outstanding hat trick. 

This season, he has scored 27 goals and provided 18 assists in 41 games. 

Please read Top 5 Things Pelé Does Not Want You to Know.