Arsene Wenger says he has clear targets in mind for buying a striker in the summer transfer window, but insisted he will not sign a forward just to make up the numbers.
The pressure on Wenger to find a new forward has increased after Danny Welbeck was ruled out for nine months with a knee injury and first-choice striker Olivier Giroud suffered a dip in form over the final few months of the season.
Wenger, who opted not to buy a single outfield player last summer, said "we will try" to buy a striker in this transfer window. But he reiterated his opinion that there is a shortage of top-class forwards available on the market that makes it difficult to strike a deal.
"When you buy you want to buy top strikers," he said. "[You do it] by finding the right person. We have targets, and hopefully we can do that."
Arsenal are expected to complete a deal for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka when the transfer window opens, and Wenger admitted that he is keen to wrap up signings before the European Championship starts on June 10.
That's in part because a player's price could skyrocket after a successful international tournament, but Wenger said making early deals could backfire as well.
"It can as well be the reverse, [a player] can get injured at the Euros or have a very bad Euros, and people will say why did you buy him?" Wenger said.