Latest Arsenal transfer news with strikers Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres on the Gunners' radar
Arsenal have been laying the groundwork to pull off their most crucial transfer of the summer - the signing of a striker.
Gunners supporters watched on last term as Mikel Arteta went in without a designated No.9. In the past the problem had been negated by the high levels set by Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz, Gabriel Martinelli, Gabriel Jesus and Leandro Trossard, though with all five experiencing injury setbacks for months at a time, the 2024/25 campaign was simply derailed.
It has placed great importance on the recruitment of a striker, and it has been a task sporting director Andrea Berta has been working towards with the utmost care, all so that Arsenal are successful in the end.
The two names of most prominent interest have been Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig and Viktor Gyokeres of Sporting CP.
The former is still only 22 with plenty of room for development. He has over 200 professional appearances to his name and 90 goals scored in that time, though uncertainty over the exact amount of his release clause remains.
Meanwhile, there is Gyokeres, scorer of 97 goals across his 102 appearances in Portugal over the past two seasons. At 27 years of age he is closer to the finished product than his counterpart.
Again, there has been strife over the fee he will be allowed to move for, with conflict over a supposed gentleman's agreement and a release clause.
Who Arsenal will go for out of the two remains to be seen, though BBC Sport journalist Sami Mokbel believes he knows the answer.
"If everything went according to plan and Arsenal are to get the striker they wanted, it would be Benjamin Sesko," he has stated, adding: "But things in football often don’t go the way you hope, in terms of price, personal terms.
"I genuinely believe, up until today, there isn’t a clear favourite.
"If you were to take a vote from the people that matter inside Arsenal, there would be more universal backing for a move for Sesko than there is for Gyokeres."
There has been a sense of dissatisfaction amongst the fanbase with the speed at which the Gunners have operated in getting their signings over the line, especially as rivals Liverpool and Manchester City have conducted multimillion-pound business early.
But as football.london understands the situation, both Sesko and Gyokeres have been part of plans discussed both internally and with the relevant parties as the foundations are laid for this important acquisition.
Meanwhile, Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga and Christian Norgaard are being lined up as the first recruits of a busy summer strengthening the Premier League's runners-up for another shot at the silverware.