It’s not hard to work out Arsenal’s most significant area of need this summer.
This season has proven beyond all doubt that Mikel Arteta’s side need a new striker, not only to help cover for injuries but to come in and replace Kai Havertz in the starting lineup.
The first choice among the majority of fans would likely be the simply unreal Alexander Isak, who has been linked with the club on many an occasion in the past.
However, it was reported that he could cost up to £150m earlier this year, and since the Toon qualified for the Champions League, we can only assume that the price tag has increased further.
Yet, the good news is that the Gunners are now being heavily linked with a centre-forward who could be their own Isak.
Arsenal's striker search
Given Arsenal’s need for a new striker this summer, it’s hardly been a surprise to see them linked with a plethora of free-scoring forwards in recent weeks and months, such as Viktor Gyokeres and Ollie Watkins.
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The former could reportedly cost around £59m and has a simply sensational tally of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 games for Sporting CP this term, but a lack of a track record in a top-five league makes the comparison to Isak difficult.
Watkins, on the other hand, has that experience and a brilliant haul of 17 goals and 14 assists to his name in 54 games this season, but with him set to turn 30 at the end of the year, he’s too old to draw paralells to the Swedish superstar.
Fortunately, another centre-forward has been heavily touted for a move to the Emirates, someone who very much could be compared to the Toon star: Benjamin Sesko.
Yes, according to a recent report by journalist Ben Jacobs, Arsenal have maintained their intense interest in the RB Leipzig star.
In fact, Jacobs goes a step further, stating that it now “looks like they [Arsenal] are going to make a bid for Benjamin Sesko,” and that while he has a €80m release clause in his current deal, which is about £67m they’d “like to negotiate something a little lower.”
It might be a costly deal to get over the line, but given Sesko’s impressive ability and potential, it would be more than worth fighting for, especially as he could be the club’s answer to Isak.
Why Sesko could be Arsenal's Isak
So, the first thing to say is that we are not trying to claim that Sesko is as good a striker as Isak at the moment.
After all, the Swedish international is arguably one of the best in the business, and his brilliant tally of 27 goals and six assists in 42 games this season proves as much.
However, there are some key ways in which signing the Slovenian star could be looked upon as the Gunners recruiting their own version of the Newcastle phenom, but before he’s quite at the same level.
For example, the “incredible” Leipzig ace, as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, only turned 22 this season, whereas the Toon’s talisman reached that age in the 21/22 season while he was still plying his trade in Spain with Real Sociedad.
That campaign saw the Solna-born monster rack up a decent but hardly earth-shattering haul of ten goals and three assists in 41 appearances, totalling 2761 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 3.15 games, or 212.38 minutes.
Appearances
45
41
Minutes
3258′
2761′
Goals
21
10
Assists
6
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.6
0.31
Minutes per Goal Involvement
120.66′
212.38′
In contrast, the Gunners’ current target scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes, which comes out to a better average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.
Furthermore, just as respected analysts and scouts like Jacek Kulig were describing the then-Sociedad gem as “simply amazing,” the likes of EBL have recently claimed that the former RB Salzburg ace “has the potential to become the best #9 in the world.”
Ultimately, it’s unlikely that Sesko will be able to reach the same level as Isak next season, but in a couple of years, there is a genuine chance we could be looking at the two strikers as equals, and for that reason, Arsenal should be doing all they can to sign him this summer.
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