Managing Arsenal – £160m transfer decision, Morgan Rogers question, Martin Zubimendi move

We may only be in the short, additional transfer window made possible by the Club World Cup and so far Arsenal are yet to confirm any deals.

Halfway through the brief, extra ten-day period FIFA have allowed clubs to conduct business this summer, the Gunners do not appear to be close to announcing any deals. The wait goes on in 2025, with no moves made in the January window either.

But this silence so far isn’t for a lack activity, more that Arsenal are currently working behind the scenes establishing their true targets in several key positions before acting upon their findings.

So, what next for Mikel Arteta and Co.? football.london provides our opinion on what we would do first in the window.

Striker decision – Sesko or Gyokeres?

The question lingering overhead would appear to be are Arsenal going to press forward with signing Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres?

On the one hand the former, Sesko, has youth on his side being only 21 years of age. His track record is highly impressive with a century of strikes in 224 club appearances in his relatively short career across Europe. The major downside is the £93 million fee being floated to prise him from RB Leipzig’s clutches.

Then there is the latter, Gyokeres, who is arguably the continent’s most prolific goalscorer over the past two seasons alone. His record is 97 for Sporting CP in 102 outings. A lesser £67m has been speculated for him but having just turned 27 this week, might not be the one to lead the Arsenal line for many years.

Their fees adding up to £160m, this is the sticky situation the Gunners have worked their way into. It is quite clear that they need a man who is ready to enter this team and provide here and now – that man is surely Gyokeres, comparing the two.

Zubimendi completed

If history, or more accurately Liverpool, taught us anything it would be to get Martin Zubimendi’s transfer wrapped up swiftly.

It started back in winter that a move to Arsenal was a sure thing, we’re now five days into the summer window being open and there is not a peep of the midfielder making his way to London at all yet. He ended up rejecting the switch to Anfield last summer because he got second thoughts over the move, and quite frankly Arsenal cannot afford the same to happen to them. Not with Jorginho having left and Thomas Partey still to commit his future.

Sky Sports are the latest to reaffirm that his £51m arrival is expected to go through but he is yet to have a medical. With Spain competing in the UEFA Nations League finals this week and he a part of the squad, this one would have to go down to the wire if it is to be done within this ten-day window.

Morgan Rogers question

Morgan Rogers has established himself as a true, young Premier League star with 14 goals and 15 assists in 2024/25. He’s flirted with a place in the senior England team and is a homegrown talent, if any more boxes needed ticking. Sky Sports add in their report that he is now under consideration at the Emirates Stadium.

What harm could be done in Arsenal asking the question of Aston Villa this summer?

In an attacking or midfield position he is going to be influential compared to any of Arteta’s current group, especially considering none of them even recorded double digits in both goals and assists last term. Also, Villa are without Champions League football next season so will be bracing for the financial repercussions – according to sister site BirminghamLive they are set to receive a UEFA sanction for breaching squad cost ratio rules, plus The Daily Mail claim the Midlands club are second-most at risk of falling foul of Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) with only £15m headroom to work with this summer.

It is time for Arsenal to swoop on their fellow top-flight team and convince them to hand over a talent in exchange for much-needed money.