Mikael Silvestre has insisted that Arsenal's best chance to sign Dusan Vlahovic is to get the deal done this month while their Champions League prospects are still up in the air.
The Gunners currently sit fifth in the Premier League table but could leapfrog both West Ham and Chelsea into third providing they win their three games in hand.
Being inside those coveted top-four spots will determine whether Arsenal stand a chance of securing Vlahovic in the summer if they fail to strike an agreement with the forward in the coming days according to ex-France international Silvestre.
Even if Arsenal do qualify for European football's most elite competition, the stature of other teams circling around Vlahovic may make a deal impossible for the Gunners.
HAVE YOUR SAY! Will Arsenal sign Vlahovic this month? Comment below
The Serbian striker has already been touted with possible switches to the likes of Real Madrid, Manchester City and Juventus but rumours linking him with Arsenal seem to persist.
It has been made clear that Mikel Arteta is most certainly interested in Vlahovic, with the 21-year-old in stellar form this term and bagged his seventh goal in seven successive home games for Fiorentina on Monday night.
However, Silvestre has publicly claimed his former side will be unable to entice Vlahovic to the Emirates without the lure of Champions League football.
Speaking to Slingo Casino , the four-time Premier League winner explained: “[Pierre-Emerick] Aubameyang is out and with [Alexandre] Lacazette out of contract Arsenal need to look at forward options.
"Vlahovic has been in tremendous form for Fiorentina, so he’s a valid candidate, but for Arsenal to attract these players they need to be in the Champions League.
"They’ve got a job to do on the pitch first and then they can bring in this type of striker."
Silvestre did go on to explain how Arsenal's immediate issues up front could be rectified by simply extending the stay of a striker they already have.
"Lacazette has been playing and scoring, and I’ve always been an admirer of him. He’s such a team player," he added.
"With the previous manager he was in and out of the team, but most of his appearances he’s produced.
"I hope he will continue at Arsenal, especially if they qualify for the Champions League.
"He’s a key element of the squad and the young players can learn so much from him."
Lacazette's current deal is set to expire come the end of the current campaign and with little discussion surrounding a renewal, he is seemingly heading for the Emirates exit.
Arsenal's desperation to get a deal for Vlahovic done has become clearer in the last few days.
The Gunners are rumoured to have put aside £8m for the striker's agent, something that has put other clubs off.
Arsenal are also willing to offer Vlahovic the £300,000-per-week wage that he is looking for with his next club.
The Serbian has made little secret of his desire to play Champions League football, ensuring Arsenal have quite the task of their hands persuading him to up sticks to north London.