Arsenal’s transfer targets in attack have been revealed with the club open to offloading Gabriel Jesus.
The upcoming summer transfer window could be a game-changer for the Gunners as they look to move on Brazilian striker Jesus. Signed from Manchester City in 2022, he has been a valuable asset for his link-up play, but hasn’t been a consistent goalscorer. The 27-year-old has only managed to net eight goals this season in nearly 2,000 minutes of club football, following an 11-goal haul in his injury-plagued debut campaign.
The Gunners are open to selling the No9, who cost them £45million when he moved from the Etihad Stadium. Premier League stars Ivan Toney and Alexander Isak are being considered as potential replacements, along with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, reports the Mirror. A new striker would be a significant statement from Arsenal, who are currently the top scorers in the Premier League but are set for a fourth consecutive season without a player reaching 20 league goals. So Daily Star Sport has provided a detailed look at the contenders to join Mikel Arteta’s squad.
Brentford striker Toney, who is a year older than Jesus, could argue that he’s a late bloomer. The 28-year-old didn’t experience a full Premier League season until the 2021/22 campaign, having propelled the Bees to promotion with 31 Championship goals the previous year.
Since his promotion to the Premier League, he’s netted a respectable 36 goals in 80 matches, while Jesus has bagged 23 in 79 during the same timeframe. Post-suspension for betting breaches, however, he’s managed just four in 14 games.
Toney thrives as the main man up top, with Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa often providing width as well as alternative options alongside him up front for Brentford. It can be a somewhat different dynamic compared to Arsenal’s set-up with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard, but Toney could easily adapt to the Gunners’ style.
The England ace seems keen on a big move, too. “You can never predict when is the right time to move elsewhere, but I think it’s obvious I want to play for a top club,” he told Sky Sports back in January.
A cool £50m might be enough to secure his services. Bees’ gaffer Thomas Frank suggested they’d hold out for more, but with Toney nearing the end of his contract, that figure could be realistic.
“We also know what he’s worth,” Frank boasted in February. “I don’t think there are many strikers in the world who are better than him right now. He’s a really good striker who is in his prime footballing age.”
Newcastle striker Isak could be on the move this summer, with Manchester United reportedly interested in the Swedish international.
Isak joined the Magpies for a club record fee, reported as around £63m, around the same time Jesus moved to Arsenal. However, with questions around his club’s FFP situation – especially if they miss out on European football – he could be on the market.
The Swedish international has scored goals almost everywhere he’s played, with double-figure seasons in the Swedish, Dutch and Spanish top tiers. The exception was a brief spell in Germany with Borussia Dortmund, but each passing week at Newcastle suggests that’s the exception rather than the rule.
This season, he has 19 goals in the league at a rate of one every 102.6 minutes. He has missed games through injury, as was the case last season when he netted 10 times in just 22 outings, but he has nine goals in as many games since returning from his most recent absence.
Despite FFP questions, Newcastle boss Howe was clear on his assessment of the forward, who can operate centrally or use his dribbling quality from out wide. “No one connected with Newcastle would want to lose him,” the manager said in early April. “He’s an outstanding talent. I thought he was excellent against West Ham. He didn’t score in open play but his two penalties were outstanding and his general play was very good. His link play, his athleticism, he looked in a really good place.”
Arsenal are closely monitoring Isak, who despite not hitting 25 until September, is touted as the most lethal striker on their wishlist. The north London club will be keeping tabs on his progress, with any potential transfer fee expected to reflect his prowess.
Last season saw Sesko flirt with a host of Premier League clubs before deciding to swap Red Bull Salzburg for RB Leipzig. Despite his recent move to Germany, it doesn’t necessarily mean he’s there to stay – Leipzig are known for cashing in on their stars when the price is right.
At the tender age of 20, Sesko has taken the Bundesliga by storm, boasting an impressive goal every 121.2 minutes and racking up 11 goals, second only to team-mate Lois Openda at Leipzig.
The Slovenian sensation has also been turning heads on the international stage, banging in five goals during Euro 2024 qualifiers and spearheading Slovenia to their first major tournament since the 2010 World Cup. He’ll get the chance to strut his stuff against England this summer.
Back in February, Leipzig’s gaffer Marco Rose couldn’t hide his delight over Sesko’s growth. “We know why we brought him in,” Rose beamed. “Young players like him sometimes just need time to arrive and show themselves.
“He is currently developing step by step and his latest progress in particular has been very big. He is strong in the air, has great technique and is good in one-on-one situations. The challenge for him now is to stick with this development and move on.”
Sesko has netted eight of his 11 league goals this season since the New Year, including four in his last four matches. His contract runs until 2028, indicating Leipzig aren’t under pressure to sell, but a hefty offer could persuade them to cash in.
With Isak absent from Sweden’s final Euros qualifiers, Gyokeres stepped up to the plate and scored in the draw against Belgium in October. However, neither striker will be participating in Euro 2024, as Sweden failed to qualify.
Gyokeres’ club performances have been more eye-catching than his international exploits. After two sizzling seasons in the Championship with Coventry City, he was handed his opportunity in a top-tier league with Sporting and seized it with gusto.
This season, Gyokeres has racked up a whopping 26 goals in 30 league appearances, and 40 in 44 games across all competitions. He also achieved something Arsenal couldn’t – scoring away at Porto, netting a late double to salvage a point and keep Ruben Amorim’s side on track for the Primeira Liga title.
Sporting are sitting pretty at the top, five points ahead of their nearest rivals Benfica, with the season’s end just around the corner. But with the Sporting gaffer Amorim’s future up in the air amid interest from West Ham and other clubs around Europe, the Lisbon heavyweights might be bracing for bids on their star players.
Gyokeres played it cool about his future prospects, saying back in March: “We’ll see this summer. It’s not something I know about myself, what will happen. I enjoy Sporting extremely well and feel no stress about the summer coming quickly.”
After shelling out a cool £21m for Gyokeres, Sporting are poised to make a tidy profit. And Coventry are rubbing their hands together too, thanks to a sell-on clause inserted into their deal to let him go. As for Arsenal, if they’re hunting for a striker who knows where the net is, Gyokeres could well be their man.
