Arsenal’s transfer needs are glaring – a striker to put the ball in the back of the net.
A misfiring attack, and a lack of investment in it since Leandro Trossard joined two and a half years ago – Kai Havertz arrived six months later but was initially signed as a midfielder – ended up costing Arsenal last season.
Their trophy drought is now at five years and, while they continued to get stronger in the Champions League, reaching the semi-finals, and managed to finish second in the Premier League despite a raft of injuries and red cards, the need for silverware is increasingly acute.
It’s a huge summer for Arsenal and their new sporting director Andrea Berta, needing to fill a few holes and recharge to make this the season they break through and win a first Premier League title since 2004.
We put out the call for your transfer questions and here our Arsenal expert ISAAN KHAN answers everything.
A misfiring attack – and lack of investment in it – ended up costing Arsenal last season
Arsenal lost to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals as their trophy drought hit five years
Who would you like Arsenal to sign as a striker? (@The_Real_Fabba)
Benjamin Sesko presents the most attractive package to the Gunners in terms of fitting into Mikel Arteta’s system and his ceiling going forward.
From what he has already produced, Sesko has the ingredients to become a world-class centre forward in the coming seasons. He has that menacing combination of height and explosive pace, an amazing leap and a lethal right foot, too. His level of ball-striking ability would far supersede any of Arsenal’s current attacking options.
Arteta is a big Kai Havertz fan and will use the German extensively in the next campaign, so no new signing will be there to knock Havertz out of the team.
It makes Sesko, at 22, ideal in terms of potential growth. Arteta would be confident in bringing the best out of him, just as he has done with Havertz.
Benjamin Sesko has the ingredients to become a world-class centre forward in the coming seasons
There are concerns about whether Viktor Gyokeres can translate his mammoth goals tallies at Sporting CP to the Premier League
Mikel Arteta is a big Kai Havertz fan and will again use the German extensively in the next campaign, so no new signing will be there to knock Havertz out of the team
The big question is whether Sesko can hit the ground running to propel Arsenal to a first league title in over 20 years, rather than in seasons to come. It is a gamble.
Viktor Gyokeres, in terms of goal tally, is proven. He has struck 54 goals this season across all competitions for club and country and is at his peak. The Swede is the finished product. The problem lies in the league where he is playing.
The Primeira Liga is vastly inferior to the Premier League. A high tally of goals scored in Portugal doesn’t necessarily translate to the same in England. That is the risk. He has excelled for Coventry City in the Championship previously, but did not make the grade at Brighton or Swansea.
Overall, I would go for Sesko because he could complement Havertz well before becoming a force in his own right.
We’ve heard Gyokeres is first choice and we’ve heard Sesko is first choice. So what’s actually happening? (@HuzyImran93)
It’s the million-dollar question. It’s understood that Sesko is the more favoured of the two, but it is complex.
Sporting Lisbon are currently searching for a new striker and expect Gyokeres to leave this summer. Because the Portuguese side are demanding a price in excess of £65m, the Swede’s options are limited to a few clubs with the financial power and willingness to spend that on a player.
Arsenal is one such club, with new sporting director Andrea Berta said to admire Gyokeres from his time working at Atletico Madrid. But internally views are torn on whether the striker would cut it in the Premier League.
Sporting director Andrea Berta is said to admire Gyokeres from his time working at Atletico Madrid
Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim and Gyokeres were a lethal combination at Sporting in Portugal
Sesko has that menacing combination of height and explosive pace, an amazing leap and a lethal right foot
Manchester United are also interested in the player, and manager Ruben Amorim worked with Gyokeres when he was Sporting boss.
Slovenia international Sesko has struck 26 goals in this campaign and presents an ideal profile for future growth. The Gunners have also done much of the groundwork on a Sesko deal and Arteta sees the potential in him.
How many deals in total do you envision Arteta and Berta completing this summer, and how would you prioritise them? (@CoreyJT_AFC)
I can see at least four deals being done this summer. The signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is pretty much complete, so after that it is a striker, back-up goalkeeper to David Raya, and then possibly a young left winger or defender who can fill in at the back.
In terms of priority, I would have them as follows (with the assumption Zubimendi is a done deal): striker, left winger, young defender, back-up goalkeeper.
The fact the Gunners were monitoring Dean Huijsen, who has signed for Real Madrid from Bournemouth, shows that defence is an area of interest. Yet it’s not a pressing concern because Jakub Kiwior is expected to stay.
Kiwior was earmarked for the exit earlier in the campaign, but his solid displays in the last couple of months, deputising for the injured Gabriel, prompted a rethink.
The signing of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad is pretty much complete
The fact the Gunners were monitoring the situation of Bournemouth’s Dean Huijsen (left), who has signed for Real Madrid, shows that defence is an area of interest
Jakub Kiwior was earmarked for the exit earlier in the campaign, though his solid displays in the last couple of months deputising for the injured Gabriel have given the hierarchy a rethink
Is it certain that we sign a left winger even though Martinelli and Trossard look set to stay? (@chinziblaine)
No, signing a left winger is a desire, not a certainty. It will probably depend on the cost of the striker they sign.
If Arsenal break their budget for Sesko, who could cost in excess of £80m, the chances of bringing in a seasoned left winger dwindle.
One option could be to sign a developing youngster. They did this with Martinelli, who arrived in 2019 to join the Under 21s before becoming a first-team star. It wouldn’t surprise me if they did this again.
Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard make a left winger a desire rather than a certainty
As reported by Mail Sport last month, Arsenal are in talks with Trossard over a new contract to 2029. That is ongoing and a situation to monitor.
With Martinelli, if a club were to come in with a massive offer, they would at least consider selling him.
Any news on another midfielder alongside Zubimendi considering reports coming out that Partey may be agreeing a deal with Barcelona? (@AFCMattxx)
Another incoming midfielder is highly. Arteta has made his stance very clear in recent weeks, saying he wants Partey to extend his contract.
Partey wants to stay and the reports linking him to Barcelona are speculative.
He has played an integral role for the Gunners this season and Arteta sees him playing a similarly important role next season.
Thomas Partey wants to stay and the reports linking him to Barcelona are speculative
Partey has played an integral role for the Gunners this season and Arteta sees him playing a similarly important role next season
Who is Arsenal’s main target? (@Terrenc22701579)
There is no single player who is the sole target, but signing a striker is top of Arsenal’s list.
Arteta and Arsenal’s executives agree a forward is needed in this window and they will bring one in.
It is made more urgent by the failure to sign a striker in the previous two windows. The lack of a quality forward is routinely cited as the reason why Arsenal have fallen short.
Sesko and Gyokeres top the list but there are fringe contenders such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
It is almost certain they will splurge big on a striker before looking to spend on other positions.
Sesko and Gyokeres lead the list of Arsenal’s striker targets but there are fringe contenders such as Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins
Where will Ethan Nwaneri play next season? There’s depth issues on the right wing and attacking midfield so surely he can’t be the deputy for both (@aasifrahman_)
Nwaneri has occupied right wing for much of this campaign because of the injury to Bukayo Saka, but his favoured spot is attacking midfield which is, of course, where Martin Odegaard plays.
It can’t be forgotten that this season was Nwaneri’s first proper campaign at senior level.
The teenager is highly valued by the Gunners and is in the middle of negotiating a long-term contract at the club.
It can’t be forgotten that this season was Ethan Nwaneri’s first real campaign at senior level
The teenager is highly valued by the Gunners and is in the middle of negotiating a long-term contract at the north London club
Saka will occupy the right-wing slot in nearly every game if he stays fit, with Nwaneri possibly filling in here and there in the cups.
That leaves Nwaneri competing with Odegaard for a place in attacking midfield, or being deployed as a false nine as an alternative option down the middle — Arteta has previously hinted at using him in this way as he develops as a player and matures.
It’ll be interesting how this develops, with Nwaneri very much in Arsenal’s plans.
What will be Max Dowman’s contribution to the team next season? (@LordFarquaard_7)
The 15-year-old is in Arteta’s midfield squad plans for next season.
In a May press conference, Arteta was asked about depth in attacking midfield. He didn’t mention loanee Fabio Vieira at Porto or the need to enter the transfer market. Instead, he namechecked Dowman.
In May press conference, Arteta was asked about depth in attacking midfield, and he namechecked Max Dowman
He has escalated levels rapidly in this campaign from playing for the Under 18s to going on the first team’s mid-season trip to Dubai
And in January, he said on the youngster: ‘Some of the things that he does in training are unbelievable, he’s a player obviously with a huge talent that we have a lot of belief that we can develop him to become one of our own. And he’s doing very well so far.’
Dowman will go on Arsenal’s pre-season tour of Asia which will be a key gauge of how involved he could be for next season.
He has escalated levels rapidly in this campaign from playing for the Under 18s to going on the first team’s mid-season trip to Dubai. If he carries on in the same vein, an appearance or two off the bench is certainly a possibility.
Why do we still keep Gabriel Jesus and Takehiro Tomiyasu? (@Agent_Reliable)
Gabriel Jesus is out for the long term with another serious knee injury
Takehiro Tomiyasu made just one appearance for Arsenal last season as he battled more injury problems
Simple — both Tomiyasu and Jesus are injured long-term and under contracts, which expire in 2026 and 2027 respectively.
While injured, no club will be in the market to buy them and ripping up either of their contracts wouldn’t make sense for the club or player.
If Tomiyasu doesn’t return from injury before Christmas and put in some promising displays, you could expect him to leave on a free next summer.
With Jesus it’s more tricky because of that extra year on his contract. You’d envisage that the club will hope he performs well next season to increase the likelihood of getting a decent price for him in January or the summer of 2026.