Chuba Akpom is set to start the new Premier League season as Arsenal’s only fully-fit centre forward. The 21-year-old, who has never scored a senior goal for the club, has been told that he will not go out on loan because Arsenal will need him in August.

Arsenal were confident of signing Jamie Vardy in early June but after he decided to stay at Leicester City, they have not been able to sign anyone else up front, and are increasingly resigned to the fact that they will not. Unless a new striker arrives in the next few weeks, or they can rush Olivier Giroud back to match fitness, either Akpom or Theo Walcott will start up front in their Premier League opener against Liverpool on 14 August.

Last season Arsenal primarily relied on Walcott, Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck to play at centre-forward. Giroud’s role in Euro 2016, playing for the France side that lost the final to Portugal on Sunday, means that he will be in a race against time to be ready to start the season.

Arsene Wenger has given Giroud and Laurent Koscielny three weeks of holiday before returning to pre-season, one week less than the traditional four-week break. That means that Giroud and Koscielny will return on Monday 1 August, the same day as Aaron Ramsey and Mesut Özil, whose Wales and Germany teams reached the semi-finals in France. Then they will have just two weeks of pre-season training to prepare for the opener against Liverpool. The trip to Leicester City on 20 August is a more likely comeback date.

Summer 2016 Transfer Window - Done deals and rumours

Arsenal already know that they will not be able to call on Danny Welbeck for most of this season after the England striker underwent knee surgery in May. Welbeck impressed when he returned in February from a 10-month injury absence. But in the 2-2 draw against Manchester City on 8 May he damaged knee ligaments, requiring surgery. He is not expected back until February 2017 at the earliest.

Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Show all 12 1 /12 Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Alexandre Lacazette The Frenchman scored 21 goals for Ligue 1 side Lyon last season and has since emerged as hot property within the European market. West Ham have already had their two offers for the 25-year-old rejected and Arsenal were reported to have joined the race for his signature. But despite indications that they were prepared to pay the £34.2m fee that will trigger talks with the player, Lyon club president recently revealed that the Gunners have yet to make a bid for the forward. Could Arsenal be biding their time? Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Ricardo Rodriguez The Wolfsburg left-back has said he expects to leave the club this summer and that it would be “exciting” to join Switzerland teammate Granit Xhaka at Arsenal. Rodriguez, 23, has a €25 million release clause in his contract and the Gunners have recently been tipped as forerunners to sign the Swiss defender. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Julian Draxler According to recent reports, Arsenal launched a £43m bid for the German player as speculation continues to mount about his future at Wolfsburg. The Gunners are looking to bolster their striking options to aid striker Olivier Giroud and Arsene Wenger is known to be an admirer of Draxler, having targeted the winger last summer. The former Schalke star scored ten goals last season since his move to the Volkswagen Arena. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Nevan Subotic With many urging coach Arsene Wenger to bring in a new centre-back, Borussia Dortmund’s Neven Subotic could be the answer. The 27-year-old has only made six appearances in the Bundesliga for Dortmund this past season and has reportedly been given permission to miss training in order to discuss his future. Costing an expected £14m, Arsenal are reportedly contemplating making a move for the player in what would be a fantastic bit of business given his quality and relatively low price-tag. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Romelu Lukaku The Belgium international looks destined to leave Goodison Park this summer after stating his desire to play Champions League football next season. Arsenal could be the club to offer him that as Arsene Wenger continues to search for a striker having been snubbed by Leicester’s Jamie Vardy. Ray Parlour urged his former club to sign the forward, arguing that the side needs “someone of the calibre of a Sergio Aguero or a Luis Suarez.” The Emirates hierarchy is reportedly keen on bringing in him but Everton’s £50m price-tag could prove to be a sticking point. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Alvaro Morata Arsenal were one of the many sides linked to Real Madrid’s Alvaro Morata after the Spaniard recently returned to the Bernabeu. Reports seemed to suggest that Real Madrid had brought back the striker in order to sell him on for a profit and Arsenal had emerged as favourites at one point to sign him. However, valued at around £65m, the striker may prove out of Wenger’s price range while other reports suggest Madrid will now be keeping hold of the striker. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 N’Golo Kante After failing to prise Jamie Vardy away from the King Power Stadium, Arsene Wenger seems to have turned his attention to another Leicester City gem. The French manager has publicly praised his fellow countryman in recent weeks, describing him as “One of the revelations of the French team”. Whether Gunners decide to make a formal bid for the 25-year-old remains to be seen but there’s no doubting the midfield dynamo would slot nicely into the Arsenal outfit. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Gonzalo Higuain The former Real Madrid striker has been repeatedly linked with a move to north London but the transfer has failed to materialise in the past. In an encouraging turn of events for fans, Higuain’s agent has allegedly made contact with Arsenal who are potentially interested in trying again to bring the Argentinian to the Emirates. Higuain scored 36 Serie A goals in 35 appearances for Napoli last season, breaking a league record in the process. The striker would be the perfect addition to Arsenal’s front-line. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Moussa Sissoko After impressing at Euro 2016 for France, Newcastle’s Moussa Sissoko has been linked with a move away from the Teesside club to the Emirates. The 26-year-old failed to prevent Newcastle from slipping into the Championship last season and was subject to widespread criticism for his underwhelming performances. But after finding his form in France, Arsenal have now emerged as favourites to sign the £35m-rated midfielder. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Stevan Jovetic A number of British and foreign media outlets have linked Inter Milan’s Stevan Jovetic with a move to the Emirates this summer. Reports suggest the forward won’t be a part of Roberto Mancini’s plans at the San Siro despite joining the club on a permanent basis with the club following an 18-month loan stint in Milan. Following a flurry of rumours mid-June, Arsenal’s links to Jovetic have dropped off somewhat in recent weeks. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Arda Turan Barcelona are reportedly willing to offload midfield misfit Arda Turan for as little as £23m this summer. Turan has underwhelmed for the Catalan giants who are apparently looking to cut their losses on the Turkey international. According to Marca, Arsenal may be prepared to take the midfielder, who spent much of last season largely on the bench, off Barcelona’s hands. Arsenal's summer transfer targets for 2016/17 Antoine Griezmann Questionable this one, admittedly, but there have been some whispers on the grape vine. The Arsenal boss was spotted chatting to the Frenchman during Sunday night’s final but, given the context, it’s hard to imagine Wenger was attempting to persuade the player to move to Arsenal. The chances of Griezmann making the switch are, well, pretty slim. The Atletico Madrid player is committed to the club until 2021 and rumours suggest he has a release clause set at €100m. There’s no harm in dreaming, though.

With Giroud trying to catch up on match fitness to be ready for the Liverpool game, Wenger’s only plausible options as a number 9 are Walcott or Akpom, unless he asks Alexis Sanchez to play there, which he was reluctant to do last year. Walcott had a run at centre-forward in September and October last season, but he got injured and lost form in the second half of the season. He only scored three goals in 20 Premier League appearances from December onwards, and was not included in Roy Hodgson’s squad for Euro 2016.

Akpom has had four loan spells away from Arsenal, and scored seven goals for Hull City last season. He had been expected to go back on loan this season but has been told by Arsenal this month that he would be part of the first-team squad for the start of this season. The player is keen to fight for his place having seen close friend Alex Iwobi work his way into the first-team at the end of last season. He has three years left on the contract he signed in February 2015.