The primary objective for Andrea Berta this summer is clear: secure a new striker, or face the widespread disapproval of Arsenal supporters.
Credit is due to the Italian; he`s made solid progress in the initial month of the summer transfer window. However, significant work remains, and final judgment will be reserved until the market closes.
Although Arsenal haven`t officially announced any new signings yet, three players are reportedly close to joining: Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, and most notably, Martin Zubimendi.
Praised by Spain`s manager Luis de la Fuente as `one of the best midfielders in the world`, European football pundit Sid Lowe previously stated that the 26-year-old is `almost as good a deep-lying midfielder as you`ll find in Europe, perhaps only Rodri is better`. In essence, he`s considered a very good player.
However, and this is crucial, Mikel Arteta and his team have still not signed a new forward.
Latest Updates on Arsenal`s Striker Search
Two main contenders seem to be vying for the striker position at Arsenal: Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.
Arsenal targeted Sesko last summer, but the Slovenian forward opted to sign a new contract with RB Leipzig instead. He remained in Germany for another year but is widely expected to leave the Bundesliga during the current transfer window.
Unluckily for Arsenal, Leipzig had initially demanded between €80m (£68m) and €100m (£85m) for the forward. German outlet BILD recently suggested they are now prepared to lower their asking price to roughly €70m (£60m), including add-ons.
If the fee remains at that level, it`s highly likely Arsenal would be willing to meet the valuation.
The situation with Gyokeres is also complicated, reportedly due to a disagreement with the Sporting hierarchy regarding the terms of his departure.
A report from Portuguese newspaper O Jogo indicates that the Swedish player`s club is insisting on a figure of €80m (£68m), a sum apparently not agreed upon before the summer window opened.
The same report mentions that the Gunners have reportedly already reached an `agreement` on personal terms with the player`s agent, Hasan Cetinkaya.
Cetinkaya is reportedly `confident` about a price point around €60m plus €10m in add-ons (£60m total), claiming this amount was agreed upon with both the player`s agent and Sporting prior to the transfer window.
Therefore, regardless of which striker Arteta signs, Arsenal will likely invest approximately £60m.
How Gyokeres Could Elevate Bukayo Saka`s Game
The 2024/25 season clearly showed how heavily Arsenal depend on Bukayo Saka, which is hardly surprising.
He has been the team`s standout player in recent years, demonstrating this last season by scoring 12 goals (second highest for the club) and providing 14 assists (leading the team in this metric).
Saka achieved these numbers despite missing several months of the season due to a long-term hamstring injury.
During his absence, Arsenal felt the impact. Even with the promising emergence of young player Ethan Nwaneri, Arteta`s squad lacked depth on the right wing, which became apparent.
