With the Luis Suarez transfer going on and on and looking increasingly difficult with every passing day, Arsenal and Arsene Wenger have been forced to think of the inevitable - alternatives to the Liverpool striker.
Suarez is undoubtedly the No.1 target for Arsenal this summer, so much so that Wenger even dropped his interest in Gonzalo Higuain when he heard that Suarez might be available.
While the Arsenal manager might be regretting his haste to a certain extent, with Higuain having already signed for Napoli, the manager is now left to ponder some alternatives if the Suarez transfer fails to materialize.
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard said he does not know what the future holds for Suarez, but remains confident he will not be sold to an English Premier League club.
"It's very important he stays," Gerrard told reporters ahead of England's friendly against Scotland at Wembley. "He is one of the best players in the world. I can understand why clubs are showing an interest in him.
"If I can use my influence to make him stay I will. I love playing with him and I don't want him to go.
"For Liverpool to be successful and move forward we have to keep our best players. I don't know what will happen in the next two weeks.
"But I'm really confident he won't move to anyone else in England."
With the Suarez transfer in limbo, Arsenal have zeroed in on Swansea forward Michu and Edin Dzeko of Manchester City according to the Daily Mail, and could be ready to make a move if Liverpool remain adamant in their stance not to sell Suarez.
Michu and Dzeko are names that have been linked with moves to Arsenal in the past, but considering the kind of big names that have been touted with transfers to the Emirates this summer, there will be an underwhelming feeling around the confines of the Emirates if Wenger is forced to move for one of his secondary targets.
Of course the possibility of signing Wayne Rooney from Manchester United also exists, but with Chelsea making the England international their priority it seems unlikely that Arsenal will be able to manufacture a move - United anyway look like they are unwilling to sell Rooney, although some reports suggest they would much rather sell to Arsenal than Chelsea.
