FIREPOWER UPFRONT

With the stakes so high, having strikers who can score 20-plus goals has become of paramount importance for the most prominent clubs. With the top six clubs buying world class forwards, HT looks at what they bring to their respective roster:

ALVARO MORATA CLUB: CHELSEA With Diego Costa having been frozen out by manager Antonio Conte, Chelsea broke their transfer record to sign the 24-year-old Spain striker from La Liga champions Real Madrid.

Impressed with his skills, Conte had signed Morata in 2014 when he was Juventus coach but he didn’t get an opportunity to work with him as he soon left to take over the reins of the Italy national team. Conte will hope that Morata still has the fire as he banks on him to get them crucial goals. He started his Chelsea stint by mssing a penalty in the Community Shield final against Arsenal.

GABRIEL JESUS CLUB: MANCHESTER CITY Bought for £27 million in the January transfer window last season, the Brazilian already looks like a bargain deal compared to the amount of money that has been splashed in the market during the current window. Despite an injury-hit debut with City, Jesus still scored seven times and produced four assists in his 10 Premier League games. The 20-year-old has now recovered from his metatarsal injury and City followers will be wondering whether Pep Guardiola can find room for both Jesus and Sergio Aguero in his starting line-up.

ROMELU LUKAKU CLUB: MAN UNITED

After the departure of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, United wanted a prolific striker who can guarantee them a steady supply of goals and they have betted on the Belgian striker to end their scoring woes, which had haunted them during their last season.

After spending four bountiful seasons at Everton, Lukaku has been given another shot at the big time with Manchester United and he will hope to do a better job of impressing manager Jose Mourinho than he had managed during their time together at Chelsea.

ALEXANDRE LACAZETTE CLUB: ARSENAL

Arsene Wenger will eagerly hope that Arsenal’s woes in front of goal will end with the arrival of the Frenchman for a club record transfer fee. The striker, who the Gunners were chasing for last couple of seasons, was poised to join Atletico Madrid, only for the Court of Arbitration for Sport to uphold a transfer ban against the Spanish club. Arsenal stepped in to sign the 26-year-old, who was the top-scoring Frenchman in Ligue 1 in each of the last three seasons. A versatile player, he can play as a lone striker or link up with the likes of Olivier Giroud and Danny Welbeck.