Make no mistake, it is a huge summer for Arsenal and one which could prove pivotal for the career of Mikel Arteta.
The club have finished second in the Premier League for the third time in a row, with the Gunners’ boss clear on what would be needed in the transfer window after coming so close to a major title yet again.
“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,” Arteta said recently. “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 Gunners could be set to add Benjamin Sesko to the ranks after choosing the Slovenian star over Viktor Gyokeres, with reports that the club have had “concrete talks” to sign the RB Leipzig star. It won’t come cheap, but it could be the first key move for Arsenal in the summer.
The question is, though, what is the priority? football.london decides below…
Lee Wilmot
Arsenal do need a striker, we’ve been saying that for some time and it looks as though a deal could finally happen.
It looks like a lot of money to sign Benjamin Sesko, but top forwards do not come cheap and if you want to be the best you need to sign the best.
Is Sesko the better choice? He’s more expensive, at around £38million more than the Gunners would have to shell out on Viktor Gyokeres. But he does have time on his side, being four years younger than the Swede and having played in a higher level competition in the Bundesliga, compared with the Portuguese league.
Gyokeres’ scoring prowess is much, much better though, albeit in that weaker league. Sesko has been likened to Erling Haaland and there are not many higher plaudits that that.
It’s got to be one of them. Arsenal simply cannot wait and wait and wait to sign a striker, because look at what happened last summer and in January, they could end up with nothing.
Tom Coley
There are so many names out there on the striker front. Arsenal need to assert themselves, though. This window cannot just happen to them.
With Sesko’s enormous price tag of £92.5million, Arsenal need to go elsewhere. His ceiling and potential are extremely high but there is too much rawness to his game right now. Sesko is not a defined finisher and doesn’t elevate Arsenal currently. They need certain improvement.
Gyokeres is the obvious alternative. Teams seem to be sceptical over going too big for him at this stage. It’s not a surprise given the quality of defending and goalkeeping he has faced. The Premier League is a different beast.
If he could be picked up for £60million then that is still the safer money. Arsenal cannot ignore a winger, either. There is less of a market here with plenty of okay but not outrageous talent. Nico Williams is a lot of money for the inconsistent end product and Jamie Gittens has developing to do.
Get the striker deal done then focus on the rest.
Joe Doyle
It’s fairly obvious – and has been for some time – that Arsenal need a proper striker. Kai Havertz has been decent there in the last 18 months, but it should serve as a reminder that he was actually signed to be a midfielder.
The Gunners’ lack of strength in depth in attack was apparent this season after a terrible run of injuries helped derail their Premier League title challenge. And there should be at least one new attacker through the door regardless of what happens with Leandro Trossard’s future.
If they are keen enough on Sesko to spend the better part of £100million, then fine – I’m not sure I’d be paying that much for him, but needs must.
It’s clear, though, that a new striker has to be the first position locked down in the Arsenal rebuild.
