Arsenal have already completed £65m striker signing as Mikel Arteta double swoop blocked

The call for Arsenal to sign a striker this summer is loud, frequent and quite desperate at this point, and it is clear to see why. The Gunners truly did struggle with goalscoring this season and as a result in many games failed to score more than a single goal. In many they failed to score at all.

The injuries in the side naturally were a big factor, not just in the centre-forward position but all around which had knock-on effects. For Mikel Arteta, he has been very clear in what the side need, and the desire to add a centre-forward is obvious.

“Well, what we have, what is clear as well with the amount of injuries that we had in the front line, that we need a goal threat and we need the firepower out there. Understanding that the context can change tomorrow, you know, and we cannot rely just on the numbers that we had before.

“And we have to add goals, we have to add creativity, we have to add numbers, and that will be in different positions.”

The two main candidates for the centre-forward position this summer are Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, football.london understands. Talks are underway internally with a move for one of the players expected.

However, some have suggested or perhaps more asked the question of why Arsenal simply do not just sign both. To add depth, a greater guarantee of success and goals.

The answer, however, is quite simple and the chances of landing both Gyokeres and Sesko are next to zero. Just asking the question why one would join Arsenal if the club had already signed the other knowing they could move to another top side and be guaranteed starting minutes is enough to put pay to the theory as is.

Yet Arsenal have already got two centre-forwards at the club. However, while Gabriel Jesus is expected to be out for the majority of the rest of the year, recovering from a serious knee injury for the second time in his Arsenal career, Kai Havertz has made the return to fitness after suffering a hamstring injury that required surgery.

The striker, who was signed for £65million in 2023, was on course for a 20-goal-plus season and despite missing nearly half the campaign still ended the season as the club’s top scorer with 15 goals – nine in the Premier League, with five assists in all competitions too. Havertz is very appreciated at Arsenal, particularly by Arteta and will have a role to play in the team next season.

Adding either Sesko or Gyokeres to Havertz gives Arsenal much more firepower. The hope is that the club cannot only add more goals and creativity but also not lose it with discussions over new deals for Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, meaning the club is not looking to replace but add to its existing threat.