A clear area for improvement is their central striker, with Gabriel Jesus contributing just four goals in the league throughout the entirety of last season.
Kai Havertz has, at times, shown promise when leading the line on his own but, regardless, Arsenal fans continue to yearn for a natural, goalscoring striker.
That man could be Benjamin Sesko, the 6ft 4in, RB Leipzig striker who is fast becoming one of Europe’s most-wanted players.
Manchester United and Chelsea are both thought to be tracking the 20-year-old, but reports in recent days suggest that Arsenal are leading the race for the Slovenian striker who is also keen on a move to the Emirates.
So, what can the Gunners expect? Let’s find out.
Who is Benjamin Sesko?
Despite his young age, Sesko has been making waves for several years since he scored 59 goals in 23 games in the U15 set-up at Slovenian side Krsko.
He soon joined Slovenian top-flight outfit NK Domzale but it was only a year later that he caught the eye of Red Bull Salzburg, signing a professional
contract with the Austrian side in 2019, aged just 16.
After two seasons out on loan, Sesko finally got his chance in the first team and enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2022/23, notching up 16 goals in 30 league appearances.
Sesko attracted interest from a host of top clubs in Europe, but it was Leipzig, operating under the same Red Bull ownership conglomerate as Salzburg, that secured the striker’s signature for a fee of around £20m.
After a solid maiden campaign in the Bundesliga, where Sesko bagged 18 goals in 42 appearances, the striker is attracting interest again. A £56million is purported to be in his contract but that must be activated before the end of June.
While his goal record speaks for itself, it is Sesko’s startling physical characteristics that catch the eye.
Two-footed and with an excellent turn of pace, the Slovenian’s height and physicality had him idolising Zlatan Ibrahimovic as a youngster but has also drawn modern-day comparisons with Erling Haaland.
‘Such comparisons motivate me and give me energy,’ Sesko previously said when asked about
‘They do not represent pressure. I will listen and learn so I can be even better than he is. My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him.’
His all-round capabilities also mean he has the versatility to play in a wide variety of different tactical set-ups. Still so young, Arteta will undoubtedly believe he can be moulded into the perfect striker to fit his system.
‘He is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,’ Leipzig technical director Christopher Vivell previously said.
‘He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.’
Sesko would likely be thrown straight into action up front for Arsenal, flanked by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and allowing Havertz to drop further back into midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
His height and aerial ability‘He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.’
Sesko would likely be thrown straight into action up front for Arsenal, flanked by Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli and allowing Havertz to drop further back into midfield alongside Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.
His height and aerial ability would add another dimension to Arsenal’s impressive set-piece threat. At the same time, his physicality could provide a focal point for attacks in a way that Jesus struggled to do last season.
However, there would be somewhat of a learning curve for Sesko. Not only would he be expected to play a greater role in possession as Arsenal look to break down low-block defences, but he would also have to adjust to being the lone striker as opposed to the two-man attack in which he was often deployed at Leipzig last season.
There would be pressure on the Slovenian to hit the ground running immediately, especially if a big figure is forked out to bring him to the Emirates.
Still, there is little in his exciting career thus far to suggest that the weight of expectation would burden him.
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