Arsenal are yet to confirm any summer signings despite being active on a number of fronts. The north Londoners are widely expected to land Martin Zubimendi, who travelled to England earlier this week to thrash out the final details of his £51million move. A deal has been lined up since January and the Gunners are finally in a position to push it over the line.
Mikel Arteta is not expected to stop there, with the Spaniard reportedly keen to recruit a new first-choice striker. Arsenal were made to pay for their failure to sign one in January and will be desperate to avoid a repeat of the scenario which saw Mikel Merino shoved up front. A handful of big names, including the likes of Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, have already been linked.
Express Sport takes you through what Arteta wants to hear in his next meeting with Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta…
Arsenal agree Benjamin Sesko fee
Sesko has reportedly emerged as Arsenal’s main striker target and it would benefit all parties to wrap up a deal sooner rather than later. He scored 21 goals for RB Leipzig last season, which suggests he could be the missing piece in the puzzle for the Gunners.
While it has been reported that Sesko has already agreed personal terms with Arsenal, a deal is yet to be struck at club level. Leipzig are not prepared to sell their striker on the cheap and will only sanction a move in exchange for around £60m.
Arsenal could look to drive that price down, but it would turn out to be a bargain if Sesko carries his form to north London and fires them to Premier League glory next season.
Therefore, hearing that a deal has been agreed with Leipzig would be music to Arteta’s ears.
Thomas Partey stays after U-turn
The arrival of Zubimendi could spell bad news for Partey, who has been widely tipped to leave the Emirates Stadium this summer. His current deal expires at the end of June and contract discussions have been taking place, but a breakthrough is yet to be reached.
Partey has been offered a reduced salary, according to The Guardian, with talks having reached an ‘impasse’ over the last few days. As a result, it would not be a surprise to see the midfielder walk away from Arsenal as a free agent.
The ideal scenario would be for Partey to accept those reduced terms and commit to the Gunners for at least another season. Having enough strength in depth will be crucial when it comes to mounting a sustained Premier League title charge.
It will come down to whether Partey is willing to take on a reduced role as a squad player, which would be the perfect outcome for Arteta.