DONE DEAL: Arsenal finally completes the deal to sign a top-quality striker who’s very aggressive in front of goal- Medical completed, deal Signed and official announcement is TOMORROW – Congratulations Arsenal fans
DONE DEAL: Arsenal finally completes the deal to sign a top-quality striker who’s very aggressive in front of goal- Medical completed, deal Signed and official announcement is TOMORROW – Congratulations Arsenal fans
Arsenal have had a good start to the summer transfer window.
The Gunners have already secured an agreement to sign Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi. The Spaniard is poised to join from the La Liga outfit next month.
Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga and Brentford midfielder Christian Norgaard are also anticipated to join, while talks are underway for Valencia’s Cristhian Mosquera.
Once a deal for Mosquera is sorted, the club should focus on signing a marquee striker.
RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres are the priority targets, but the Gunners must prioritise purchasing the former.
Arsenal must prioritise deal for Sesko over Gyokeres
Sesko scored 21 goals from 45 outings for Leipzig last term compared to Gyokeres’ tally of 54 goals from 52 games for Sporting.
However, the quality and competition of the Bundesliga is much superior to the Primeira Liga.
According to The Athletic, only five clubs in the Portuguese top flight were of Premier League standard last season.
The majority were at Championship level, with the relegated teams in the League One bracket.
Gyokeres will face a sterner challenge on his return to England. He may not have the same time and space to counter-attack. His decision-making in the box has to be quicker.
Looking at other statistics, Sesko tends to fare better.
The Slovenian lost possession on 10.8 occasions per league game last season. He missed 10 big chances over the campaign.
On the contrary, Gyokeres lost possession almost 13 times on average, missing 23 big chances.
With scoring opportunities being more limited in the Premier League, this is another underlying concern with Gyokeres.
The Sweden international also won only 1.1 aerial duels on average compared to Sesko’s 2.1. The latter’s height advantage makes him a better goalscoring threat from set-pieces (195cm to 187cm).
Sesko scored four headed goals last season, while Gyokeres managed none. Gyokeres does not fancy scoring with his weaker left foot either, with three goals compared to Sesko’s four.
We feel Arsenal would benefit from Sesko’s unpredictability in and around the box. With the club being strong from set-pieces, the 22-year-old would fit like a glove for the number nine position.
The Gunners are reportedly prioritising a deal for Sesko, with Gyokeres viewed as the backup target.
They must look to finalise an agreement for the former before the pre-season tour of Asia.
