Arsenal’s winter transfer window was a kind of rollercoaster that started with hope, then rejection, and finally now with an urge. The Gunners were reported to have spurned a £60 million bid after weeks chasing Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins. With the clock counting down towards the February transfer deadline, they are now targeting RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic.
Arsenal are desperate for reinforcements because Gabriel Jesus is out for the season and Kai Havertz is still needing to get used to being a striker. Is Sesko what Mikel Arteta has been missing in his tactical puzzle? Let’s dive in.
Sesko: Arsenal’s Dream Striker?
Benjamin Sesko comes across as a Premier League player who just fits like a glove. A nightmare for defenders, the Slovenian striker is 6’4 at blistering speed and aerial dominance. Imagine Erling Haaland, but a bit more reasonable on what the release clause is.
Sesko’s contribution in the red half of Stuttgart was to bully defenders, score from distance and intelligently run in behind the opponent’s rearguard. But since Leipzig are not in the Champions League, Arsenal will have a golden chance of snatching him, offering him the promise of European football.
However, the most important question seems to be if Arsenal can convince Leipzig to sell their best asset in the heart of the season.
Sesko vs. Vlahovic: Who’s the Better Fit for Arsenal?
Thus, Arsenal’s shortlist now comprises two contrasting strikers.
Benjamin Sesko, The Young Prospect
Incredible speed and agility
Tall, physical, and dominant in the air
Still not that much of a striker, and he can mold him into the perfect one.
Dusan Vlahovic: The Proven Goal Machine
Serie A experience with Juventus and Fiorentina
Clinical finisher with an eye for goal
Good hold-up play, perfect for Arsenal possession-based football
Vlahovic may be the more proven thing in Europe’s top leagues, but Sesko is a longer-term investment, and it fits in nicely with Arsenal’s approach of building world-class players from within.
Why Arsenal Desperately Need a New No. 9
It’s honest to say it is pretty flimsy when it comes to Arsenal’s striker situation at the moment, like a Jenga tower after a few drinks. Gabriel Jesus is out, Kai Havertz is yet to find his feet, and Eddie Nketiah is still inconsistent.
For a title race that could go down to the wire, Arteta has to feel he can afford to rely on a makeshift forward line. Both Sesko and Vlahovic have got the finishing touch, the hold-up play, and the long ball on the dead ball to stretch defenses—what the Gunners need.
My Take on Arsenal’s Striker Hunt
As an Arsenal fan (or simply just someone to enjoy the insanity), I can not help but wonder: how did they not plan this earlier? There may not have been any great secret as to exactly when Gabriel Jesus would sustain this injury, but here we are, frantically looking for a striker at barely the last minute to someone who, hopefully not, is in desperate need due to this late table shift we have to make.
All in all, it could be a real masterstroke if Arsenal are eventually able to sanction the tricky young striker’s transfer to St James’ Park. The guy has got everything he needs to do well in the Premier League under Arteta and could even become another superb world-class No. 9. Hopefully too, Arsenal don’t fumble this chance once again.
Arsenal’s search for a striker has gone round and round, but whatever way you cut it, they want more, and they want them soon. It is down to whether it is Sesko or Vlahovic, because the Gunners must act quickly to bring in a center forward of the quality who can make an immediate impact.
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