When it came to this summer there was one transfer priority that stood out above all others. Why? Because it had stood out for the past two transfer windows and not been rectified.
There is an argument that Arsenal’s failure to solve their biggest issue was behind them finishing as runners-up in the Premier League for a third season running and for falling at the semi-final hurdle in the UEFA Champions League too.
We are of course talking about the well documented need to sign a striker. Arsenal did not sign one last summer, nor did they bring one in in January. It is imperative they do so this summer.
The transfer window is now shut for six days, with it reopening again on June 16. But that will not stop Arsenal and others making their moves in their brief downtime, given any announcements need only say ‘will join the club when the transfer window reopens on June 16’.
Plenty of names have been linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium. Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres are chief among them, but the likes of Alexander Isak, Victor Osimhen and Dusan Vlahovic have all been regularly talked about in dispatches.
Whoever they sign is going to cost big money, but it looks as if they have made their decision already and it seems the decision was made months ago.
Arsenal wanted to sign Sesko last summer, but the then 21-year-old felt he needed a bit more experience under his belt and decided to stay at RB Leipzig, even penning a new deal with the German side.
That contract may well have been more to protect the club, rather than signal his long-term intentions, because the Gunners are back in for him and there have been “concrete talks” between the two clubs, according to reports.
It has been felt this summer that it would be a case of either Sesko or Gyokeres for Arsenal and Sesko appears to be the chosen one. And a statement from the Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas all but confirmed that.
Speaking this week, Varandas said: “To this day, Sporting has not had an offer for Viktor Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
At 22, Sesko has more time on his side than Gyokeres and has more big-five league experience. He may well cost more, given his age, but it would seem less of a gamble and the fact no offer has gone in for Gyokeres suggests the plan is to go for the Slovenian.
