Arsenal will not be ready to take a seat on their laurels and watch Liverpool get one hand on the Premier League title forward of the 2025/26 season.
The Merseysiders have already introduced in Jeremie Frimpong, with Bayer Leverkusen teammate Florian Wirtz destined to observe forward of the summer time window.
Mikel Arteta’s males look set to reply with a transfer for considered one of Benjamin Sesko or Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres.
It simply now stays to be seen who sporting director Andrea Berta will prioritise.
Arsenal want a prime striker like Benjamin Sesko
When it comes to translatability, you’d should argue that Sesko can be the extra splendid alternative. The Bundesliga is far nearer in high quality and magnificence, with the best of respect, than the Portuguese top-flight.
That mentioned, you may forgive Arsenal’s decision-makers for drooling a bit of on the sight of Gyokeres’ 54 targets and 13 assists in 52 video games (throughout all competitions) this time period.
Christian Falk now experiences that the Gunners received’t be alone of their pursuit of Benjamin Sesko. Extra to the purpose, Manchester United may depend on the experience and connections of Christopher Vivell to beat Arsenal to the punch.
“Arsenal have ceased their recruitment drive and have declared Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting Lisbon) as their favorite targets. RB Leipzig are prepared to speak for upwards of €70m, and ideally Sesko ought to fetch as much as €100m,” the top of soccer on the BILD Group solely knowledgeable CaughtOffside.
“Regardless of his younger age, the Slovenian is nearly full, has a transparent head and is an actual staff participant. He can be an asset to any membership. There are already talks with Arsenal.
“From the Premier League, beside Arsenal additionally Manchester United are notably . Christopher Vivell (United’s director of recruitment) was there to look at Sesko on the recreation in Wolfsburg in mid-April. He as soon as helped uncover him and introduced the footballer to Salzburg as a 16-year-old in 2019.”
It appears a somewhat slim benefit for United to use. Nonetheless, at a payment probably rising to £84.3m [€100m], Arsenal may go for the comparatively cheaper possibility in Viktor Gyokeres at £60m if wants should.
?? 39 targets in 34 video games in Portuguese league this season for Viktor Gyökeres, profitable the title as soon as once more with Sporting.
…and now making ready his exit with £60m transfer anticipated to occur this summer time. pic.twitter.com/5X802QyKq2
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) Could 17, 2025
Our in-house Arsenal skilled (and CaughtOffside editor) Mark Brus had this to say concerning the North London-based outfit’s striker pursuit:
“With nobody in Arsenal’s present squad reaching double figures for league targets in 2024/25, the necessity for a brand new striker is clear, and has lengthy been understood to be a precedence for this summer time.
“There was real curiosity in Ollie Watkins in January, however Arsenal finally most well-liked to attend till the summer time to get their man, with Mikel Arteta being a giant fan of Benjamin Sesko for a while.
“It’s not the simplest marketplace for strikers proper now, and it additionally appears possible that Arsenal will search to enhance their attacking output with the signing of a prime class winger later within the window.”
Is Viktor Gyokeres well worth the gamble?
Likelihood is, Arsenal can afford a while to think about the choices on the desk. Not like the Purple Devils, Mikel Arteta’s males can supply each strikers Champions League soccer and a real crack on the Premier League title race subsequent time period.
One may moderately suspect United will wrestle to surmount both hurdle within the close to future – particularly if their post-season marketing campaign is something to go by!
| Viktor Gyokeres | Benjamin Sesko | |
| Aim contributions | 67 | 27 |
| Minutes per aim contribution | 63.4 | 120.66 |
| Non-penalty xG (per 90) | 0.69 | 0.35 |
| xAG (per 90) | 0.23 | 0.07 |
| Common ranking (league) | 8/10 | 6.93/10 |
* Stats within the 2024/25 season courtesy of Sofascore & FBref
Gyokeres’ numbers are, after all, completely obscene. But it surely’s price declaring that the Swede would seem to get pleasure from significantly larger freedom within the opposing penalty field, judging by the 2024/25 season heatmaps.
This may increasingly point out the Sporting star’s superior skill to search out area contained in the 18-yard field, his teammates’ skill to search out him, and even trace on the comparative high quality between each leagues.
One may moderately assume that Viktor Gyokeres is a critical beneficiary of that latter level, with Bundesliga defences being far superior on common.
Both approach, Arsenal can argue for Benjamin Sesko’s potential (being 22) and the cheap risk of scaling up his numbers by way of growth and placement in a stronger staff.
Gyokeres’ numbers, even ought to they scale down as anticipated in keeping with the standard shift to the Premier League, after all, may nonetheless be greater than passable.
