Arsenal will be attacking the summer transfer market with an intent that was not present in the previous two windows. Mikel Arteta admitted that they were left short at the start of the season, and then the club still failed to add a single player in the January transfer window.
The shortness was particularly felt in the centre-forward position as both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffered injuries. A striker is top of the club’s to-do list in the market, football.london understands, along with plenty of other targets, with a move for Martin Zubimendi already in the works ahead of a summer switch.
The club were keen on Benjamin Sesko last summer but the Slovenian international decided to stay with RB Leipzig and sign a new deal instead. His stock has fallen a little since then and he has not exactly pushed on like perhaps some expected but there is no doubting the quality and potential he possesses in a team which has struggled to regularly create for him.
On the other hand, there is Viktor Gyokeres.football.london understands that interest in the forward dates back more than just last summer, as the Swede has been tracked from his time in the Championship with Coventry City. However, like many other clubs, Arsenal opted not to commit to a move after just a single impressive season with Sporting CP.
Gyokeres has since had an even more impressive campaign, going from 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 matches to 52 goals and 13 assists in the same number of games, with some fixtures left to play. Gyokeres will play against Benfica in the Taca de Portugal final, after having got the assist last weekend in the 1-1 draw with their City rivals as the title race goes down to the wire, with both sides on 79 points and one game left to play.
Andrea Berta, Arsenal’s new sporting director, is thought to be a big fan of the Swedish striker. Arteta has already suggested that the Italian is expected to come in and change and tweak their existing plans for the summer and perhaps a move for Gyokeres will be the first sign of such an influence.
As of yet, football.london is not aware that any official offer has yet been made by the club despite some conflicting reports on the matter in Portugal. However, should the club look to beat the competition for Gyokeres, they will have to be proactive in their approach.
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Arsenal Manager Mikel Arteta, Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus with the Arsenal Therapy Dog Win during the Arsenal Men's team group shoot at London Colney on September 18, 2023
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