Arsenal's search for a striker is set to go on into the summer months, having failed to land a talisman so far in the transfer window - and although various big names have been touted for a move to the Emirates, Mikel Arteta must prioritise a move for one star in particular.
Fans saw their form decline towards the end of last season when Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus were injured in and around the winter period, with Arsenal having to utilise Mikel Merino as an emergency striker to guide them through to the end of the campaign.
Arsenal Need a New Striker This Summer
The Gunners struggled without one in the second half of the season
viktor gyokeres
Although the midfielder didn't do badly up front, it wasn't anywhere near the same as having an out-and-out striker with the profession of putting the ball in the back of the net - and Arteta will know from that few months that he needs a talisman.
Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting is one striker who has been massively linked after his swashbuckling campaign in Portugal - but the Spaniard should resist the temptation of his goal record and instead pursue a deal for RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko, who has also been touted for a move to north London.
Benjamin Sesko's Bundesliga statistics - RB Leipzig squad ranking
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There are a few reasons for choosing Sesko over Gyokeres, but the main one is that he boasts five years on his Swedish rival. Essentially, Arsenal will get half a decade more service from the Slovenian forward - it'll be 2030 by the time he's even Gyokeres' current age. But beyond that, there are other external factors that show him in a more positive light.
Sesko Must be Prioritised Ahead of Gyokeres
The Slovenian starlet has bags of potential
Benjamin Sesko celebrating after scoring for RB Leipzig
Sesko has already scored 27 Bundesliga goals at the age of just 22, alongside 30 Champions League appearances garnering seven goals. And, on an international basis, a further 16 international goals means he's already Slovenia's fourth-highest scorer in history, seeing him labelled as 'mind-blowing'.
By contrast, Gyokeres had only made five appearances for Brighton, and had just come back off a semi-successful loan spell with second-tier Bundesliga outfit St Pauli at the same age. That experience will be invaluable to Sesko over the next five years, despite Gyokeres bursting onto the scene at Coventry City and subsequently scoring goals galore after being bought by current Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim.
There's no doubting that Gyokeres, who is now in his prime, could conceivably score more goals than Sesko next season if he was to join Arsenal this summer - but with more potential, the levels that Sesko could reach with five years of Premier League experience could be frightening.
With that comes the potential to sell Sesko in the future. At the age of 22 and starting for Arsenal, there is no doubting that his value will skyrocket and that will allow the Gunners to at least recoup some money in the future if he doesn't perform. Gyokeres may not get the same chance, as he'll be heading into his thirties by the time Arteta can make a decision to sell him - and recouping a fee would be much harder.
A deal for Sesko makes much more sense on a financial and succession basis - it's only Gyokeres' current form that should spring him ahead in the queue for a move to north London.
Statistics courtesy of WhoScored. Correct as of 12-06-25.
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