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Breaking down Arsenal's continued search for a striker by the numbers

Arsenal have been plagued by the absence of a "world-class" striker since Thierry Henry set the Premier League ablaze. The Gunners have not been able to replace him with someone of equal goal-scoring prowess.

Since then, there have been a number of players who have done well, like Robin van Persie, who won the PFA Player of the Year in 2011 and led the league in scoring.

But Arsenal did not have the support around him, finishing fourth. He then moved on to Manchester United and won a title in his first year with his new club.

So who should they sign to lead the front line? Here are five forwards Arsenal could sign, along with their strengths.

1. Wenger's perfect player

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had a standout Bundesliga season for Borussia Dortmund, scoring 25 goals, finishing five behind leader Robert Lewandowski. Since becoming a first-team regular with St. Etienne in 2011, Aubameyang has scored at least 13 goals in five straight league seasons.

The thing that separates Aubameyang from most leading forwards is his decisiveness in the penalty area: 56.7 percent of Aubameyang penalty area touches were shots, which is the fourth-highest rate among the top five European leagues (minimum 100 touches).

When in the penalty area, Aubameyang converts often when he hits the target. Among the 28 players who took at least 100 shots last season, he was one of four players with a conversion rate over 50 percent in the penalty area in 2015-16 league play. The other three? Luis Suarez, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Jamie Vardy.

Aubameyang ranks in the top 10 in league scoring since 2011, his first full season at St. Etienne, ranking ninth with 89 goals behind Sergio Aguero's 102. But more importantly, of those 10 players, he has played the third-most games, trailing only Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Finally, the Gabonese forward converts when it matters most. Aubameyang had a 73.5 conversion percentage on big-chance opportunities (high probability of a goal). That ranked higher than Gonzalo Higuain (Serie A's top goal scorer), Ronaldo and Messi, to name a few.

Price range: With the departure of a number of key players from Dortmund, it will definitely be high, and higher than normal for an Arsenal transfer. However, he is in his prime and coming off a career season with a team that plays a similar style to Arsenal's. With Alexis Sanchez and Mesut Ozil, the Arsenal counterattack would be deadly with Aubameyang leading the line.

2. An Arsenal-like signing

Alexandre Lacazette has made a name for himself leading a young Lyon side, where he debuted at the age of 19. In his first three seasons with Lyon (2010-13), Lacazette lined up on the right wing more than the lead forward.

Lacazette scored nine goals in 69 games in his first three years, very much third-choice behind Lisandro Lopez and lead striker Bafetimbi Gomis. Once Lopez left for Al-Gharafa in Qatar prior to 2013-14, Lacazette stepped up as the second striker and moved more central.

In 103 games over the last three seasons, Lacazette scored 69 goals in Ligue 1, the eighth most in Europe's top five leagues in that time span. Among the 33 players who have taken at least 250 shots in the top five leagues since 2013, Lacazette has the highest on-target percentage.

Price range: At the age of 25, Lacazette is entering his prime and coming off three seasons of 15-plus goals in the league. It has been reported that Lacazette has a £34 million release clause for Champions League clubs. At that price, with his age and performance over the last couple of seasons, £34 million is a steal.

3. The clinical finisher

Mauro Icardi has been one of the most clinical finishers in Europe since joining Inter Milan in 2013. Even with Sampdoria in 2012, Icardi has registered a conversion percentage of 50 or better in each Serie A season since 2012.

In the 2013-14 season, his first with Inter (which was also shortened by injuries), Icardi scored nine goals in 22 games. However, he converted 75 percent of his shots on goal. Over the last four big five seasons, only Miroslav Klose (75 percent, 2012-13) has matched a conversion percentage that high.

The downside for Icardi is his inability to hit the target. He has yet to hit 45 percent of his shots on target in a Serie A season.

The positive? His highest percentage was this past season.

Price range: Icardi will cost a good chunk of change because of his age and importance to his team. Icardi brings a leadership aspect, as he is Inter's captain at just 23.

4. The experience signing

Carlos Bacca has quietly put together some of the most efficient seasons over the last couple of years at both Sevilla and AC Milan.

In each season since joining Sevilla in 2013, Bacca has posted a conversion percentage of 50 or better. Among players with at least 50 shots in each season since 2013, Bacca is the only player to have a conversion percentage over 50 in that time span.

Bacca has not missed many league games since joining Sevilla in 2013. The only forward to miss fewer league games than Bacca in that time span is Jose Callejon.

Price range: Bacca should not be as expensive as some of the others. His move to Sevilla was a reported £21 million in 2013.

Clubs may be off put by his age (29), but he has continued to perform each season since.

5. The unknown signing

Benjamin Moukandjo had a quietly efficient season for Laurent Koscielny's former team, Lorient. Having been bounced around France for much of his career, Moukandjo seems to have finally settled with Les Merlus.

The 27-year-old Cameroon international finished with a 50 percent conversion rate (13 in 26). Among the 229 players to take at least 50 shots in the top five European leagues in 2015-16, he was one of 13 players to convert 50 percent of his shots on goal.

But the big selling point on Moukandjo is his ability to convert the big chances. All of Moukandjo's goals were labelled as big-chance goals, or shots with a high probability of scoring.

Among players with at least 10 big-chance opportunities in 2015-16, no player had a higher conversion percentage than Moukandjo.

Price range: Having spent one season at Lorient and finishing eighth in Ligue 1 in scoring, the French side may want to cash in on the forward as he is in the last year of his contract. He would be cheaper than the other options, but without the same pedigree.