Mikel Arteta sets deadline for Arsenal striker as ‘sigh of relief’ news emerges
Mikel Arteta has set a firm date for Arsenal to sign a new striker by as the club targets deals for Benjamin Sesko, Viktor Gyokeres, or Ollie Watkins.
The number nine position for the North London club has been a glaring issue for several seasons now.
Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus spent significant parts of last season out injured, and even when fit, neither has truly impressed for the Gunners.
Mikel Merino was used as a makeshift number nine in the latter stages of the 2024/25 campaign, but after a bright start, the Spaniard’s lack of experience at the position became a problem.
Arsenal were interested in signing Liam Delap, before the English striker joined Chelsea, and it was the same story with Matheus Cunha, as the Gunners had shown interest in the Brazilian but did not act upon it.
And after missing out on several targets, Arteta looks to have put his foot down and set a deadline for the club to sign a new striker by, according to MailOnline.
Mikel Arteta wants new striker before Arsenal pre-season Asia tour
As reported by MailOnline reporter Isaan Khan, a target has been laid out by Arteta for a new striker to be signed by Arsenal before the club flies out to Singapore on July 19 for the start of their pre-season tour of Asia.
With a “comprehensive tactics playbook” to learn, the Spanish manager will be keen to give his new number nine as much time as possible to bed in to the team.
A striker “will definitely be signed in this window”, which will come as a “sigh of relief” for Arsenal fans who have been desperate for a forward for several windows.
The names in the frame will be familiar to most Gunners fans by now, with Gyokeres and Sesko as two of the top targets, whilst Watkins is of interest, but “further down the pecking order” than the Swedish or Slovenian strikers.
New striker will need to get the best out of Martin Odegaard
Football Insider Verdict
When Martin Odegaard is firing on all cylinders, few players can control a game of football like Arsenal‘s captain can.
But the Norwegian midfielder suffered a noticeable dip in his performances last season, particularly after Havertz suffered an injury whilst the club were on a warm weather break to Dubai.
The German is maligned for his lack of goal-scoring output, but the ex-Chelsea man’s telepathic understanding of what Odegaard needs him to do gets the best out of the midfield maestro.
With Merino up top, Odegaard stopped producing, and Arsenal failed to provide any real resistance to Liverpool’s title charge.
The serial runners-up will sign a striker this summer, in an effort to finally claim a first league title since 2004.
And whoever that man is, they must quickly forge a partnership with Odegaard, or else Arsenal will likely struggle, once again.