Arsenal's pursuit of a new striker is set to be the main talking point of their expectedly busy transfer window, and if you ask any fan, the addition of a prolific centre-forward would be their top priority.
Arsenal working on Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres deals
At the time of writing, RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres stand out as Arsenal's top two targets for the role.
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The Gunners hero hopes they can do a deal.
Sesko finished 2024/2025 with a modest goal return of 21 in all competitions, which is just six more than Kai Havertz who spent half of last season out injured. However, the 22-year-old is a long-term target for Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports) Money on new signings
19/20 - winter £0
20/21 - summer £81.5m
20/21 - winter £900k
21/22 - summer £156.8m
21/22 - winter £1.8m
22/23 - summer £121.5m
22/23 - winter £59m
23/24 - summer £208m
23/24 - winter £0
24/25 - summer £101.5m
24/25 - winter £0
Arsenal had a proposal to sign Sesko last summer rejected, with the Slovenia international choosing to sign a contract extension and shaking hands on a gentlemen's agreement with Leipzig that he can leave this year or next year instead.
Arsenal also tried to sign Sesko in January, but the player and his club wanted him to see out the Bundesliga season (Ben Jacobs).
Gyokeres, meanwhile, has just fired Sporting to their first domestic double in two decades with a sensational 54 goals in all competitions - so the Swede's appeal to Gunners director Andrea Berta is glaringly obvious.
Arsenal-Viktor-Gyokeres
According to the BBC this week, Arsenal are simultaneously working on deals for both Sesko and Gyokeres, before making a final decision on which centre-forward to formally pursue.
Before the aforementioned duo, it was reliably reported that Newcastle United star Alexander Isak was actually Arsenal's "dream" signing.
Arsenal back off in race for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak
However, the striker's reported £150 million-plus price tag and Newcastle's qualification for the Champions League make this deal incredibly difficult.
Newcastle United's Alexander Isak celebrates scoring their first goal-1
There is also the matter of Liverpool, with journalist Graeme Bailey telling The Boot Room that Arsenal are backing off in the race for Isak, partly because the north Londoners theorise that Arne Slot's title-winners are in "pole position" if he does leave St. James' Park.
"Isak is the dream, and I think because Liverpool’s confidence, that’s where Arsenal’s interest is waning slightly," said Bailey.
“I’ve been told Liverpool are in pole position. If Isak leaves, Liverpool are in pole position, and I think Arsenal learned that and that’s why they backed off slightly as well. Not just because they can’t afford him, because Arsenal probably could if they wanted to."
Isak's 27 goals in all competitions tell just half the story, with Eddie Howe's Swede proving an absolute nightmare for defences to deal with across 24/25.
It would surely take something very special to convince Newcastle to sell the 25-year-old, and even a record-shattering bid might not be enough.