Better than Sesko & Gyokeres: Arteta wants Arsenal to sign £100m "bagsman"
The transfer window is just around the corner, and it feels set to be an era-defining one for Arsenal.
While a third second-placed finish on the bounce is far from ideal, Mikel Arteta’s side have proven without a shadow of a doubt now that they are one of the very best teams in the country, but they’ve also shown that they lack a cutting-edge up top.
Therefore, it’s hardly been surprising to see the club linked with a host of talented strikers in recent weeks and months, with two of the most significant being Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.
However, while either would surely improve the Gunners, recent reports have linked them to someone who’d be a better signing than both.
Arsenal's Sesko & Gyokeres alternative
Before getting to the superstar in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other centre-forwards who have been touted for moves to Arsenal in recent weeks, like Julian Alvarez and Joao Pedro.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The former has been linked with the North Londoners quite heavily over the last week or so, and while it would be hard to pry him away from Atlético Madrid a year after he joined them, it would be worth trying as in just 54 games this season, he has scored 29 goals and provided seven assists.
On the other hand, Pedro could be available for close to £100m, which, for all his undeniable talent, does feel a little steep, as he’s only played 30 games this season, in which he’s scored ten goals and provided seven assists.
In other words, the Brazilian marksman doesn’t feel like he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres, unlike Alexander Isak.
Yes, according to a recent report from the Mail Online, the Newcastle United striker remains in the picture ahead of the summer.
While the report claims that a transfer feels unlikely due to his price tag now being ‘north of £100m,’ it also reveals, crucially, that the Swedish international is ‘Arteta’s preferred choice.’
It would be a complicated and costly deal to get over the line, but given Isak’s unreal ability, it’s one well worth going all out for, especially as he’d be a better signing than Sesko or Gyokeres.
Why Isak would be a better signing than Sesko & Gyokeres
So, let’s start off with the most straightforward and significant reason why Isak would be a far better signing than Sesko: his output.
For example, in just 42 appearances for the Toon this season, totalling 3324 minutes, the 25-year-old “bagsman,” as dubbed by respected analyst Ben Mattinson, has scored 27 goals and provided six assists.
That comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.27 games, or every 100.72 minutes, which is undeniably superb.
Appearances
42
45
Minutes
3324′
3258′
Goals
27
21
Assists
6
6
Goal Involvements per Match
0.78
0.6
Minutes per Goal Involvement
100.72′
120.66′
In contrast, the Leipzig star has found the back of the net 21 times and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes this season, which comes out to a good but less impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games or every 120.66 minutes.
Now, that might be a little crude, but when it comes down to a striker, the most important metric is their raw output, and when it comes down to it, that’s something the former Real Sociedad star has over the Slovenian.
However, things get a little more complicated when it comes to Gyokeres because, by that same logic, his absurd haul of 54 goals and 13 assists in 52 appearances suggests he’d be the better poacher to bring to the club this summer.
Yet, that’s not the case, and the crucial reason why is that the former Coventry City gem has no experience of football in a top five league.
There is a genuine risk that the Stockholm-born star could be a repeat of Darwin Núñez, who moved to Liverpool off the back of producing 38 goal involvements in 41 games for Benfica in the 21/22 campaign and just finished this season with a haul of 14 goal involvements in 47 games.
Ultimately, if Arsenal can, they should be doing all they can to sign Isak this summer, as he’s already a far better goalscorer than Sesko and has far more experience playing and thriving in the toughest competitions than Gyokeres.
Better than Sane: Arteta makes £50m winger Arsenal's new priority signing
The international star would be a great addition to Arsenal’s squad this summer.
ByJack Salveson Holmes May 29, 2025