Arsenal are eyeing up two potential alternatives to Benjamin Sesko as they search for a striker to sign ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season, according to one journalist.
Arsenal eye attacking reinforcement
Arsenal enjoyed a solid 2023/24 campaign under the guidance of Mikel Arteta. They were able to push Manchester City to the final day in the title race – a vast improvement on their 2022/23 challenge, which began to fall apart in April of that season. However, if the Gunners are to take the next step in their evolution and finally end their 20-year-plus wait for the Premier League, further improvements will likely be needed.
A key area the north Londoners should look to improve is up front. The Gunners shared their goals around across the previous season, but lacked a standout goalscorer who could come up clutch in big games, similar to Erling Haaland for Manchester City.
Bukayo Saka
20
Leandro Trossard
17
Kai Havertz
14
Martin Odegaard
11
Gabriel Jesus
8
Rather concerningly for Arsenal, their top goalscorers in 2023/24 were primarily used on the wings, with Kai Havertz the first player on the list to actually play through the middle on a regular basis. As a result, it makes sense for the Gunners to be looking to add a high-scoring forward to their ranks this summer.
In their striker search, Arsenal have their sights on RB Leipzig hitman Benjamin Sesko as one serious option, while Napoli's Victor Osimhen has been linked in the past. A report earlier this week also claimed Arsenal are ready to "bid hard" for Viktor Tsygankov and have held talks with his entourage.
Arsenal eye Sesko alternatives
However, a fresh update from journalist Ben Jacobs has now shed some light on Arsenal's hunt for a striker, and while Benjamin Sesko has been heavily linked of late, it appears the north London outfit have a couple of alternative options in mind.
Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jacobs claimed Brighton's Evan Ferguson and Viktor Gyokeres are listed alongside the aforementioned Sesko as options that have been looked at. Ivan Toney has also apparently been ruled out as an option by the capital outfit, while a deal for Osimhen is not thought to be advanced.
“I think Arsenal are still stuck deciding on the striker front. But it’s clear that that’s the kind of profile that they’re looking for, and they feel is missing," he said. “And along with Benjamin Sesko, they’ve considered Evan Ferguson and Viktor Gyokeres, but they’ve ruled out Ivan Toney.
“And even though we hear reports about Arsenal moving for Victor Osimhen, the outlay is so severe that nothing is advancing at this stage on that front. It’s a long window, of course, but there’s better value and slightly younger profiles of strikers that Arsenal are prioritising at this time.”
Evan Ferguson, previously valued at a mammoth £120m by his current club, is one of the brightest young strikers in world football, having scored 16 goals in 65 appearances for Brighton since his senior debut. The 19-year-old has a bright career ahead of him, with former Seagulls teammate Alexis Mac Alister labelling him "amazing".
"Evan is an amazing player," said Mac Allister last year. "He was not having his best evening, but he showed his quality. We are really happy for him, we know how important he is."
As for Gyokeres, he has taken the European footballing world by storm after leaving Coventry for Sporting CP. The 26-year-old netted a staggering 43 goals and provided 15 assists in 50 games across all competitions for the Portuguese outfit.
Arsenal could sign their next Overmars in £43m partner for Saka
Mikel Arteta is looking to strengthen his frontline this summer.
ByAngus Sinclair
