Arsenal and Chelsea will have to look elsewhere to solve their striker dilemma as primary target Benjamin Sesko looks set to rebuff interest from both clubs and sign a contract extension to stay at RB Leipzig. As journalist Ben Jacobs told GIVEMESPORT, Sesko will announce his new contract extension with RB Leipzig in the coming days.
The prioritisation of his development proved to be the deciding factor in the Slovenian’s decision ahead of the European Championships in Germany. This leaves the London giants looking elsewhere to bolster their respective front lines ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League campaign.
That said, below are five other potential options for Arsenal and Chelsea to target as new forward options ahead of the 2024-25 season after missing out on the £42 million-rated striker. Each of the five men in question have been linked with moves to either of the Premier League giants in recent times.
1 Joshua Zirkzee
Bologna’s sharp-shooter is wanted by many across Europe
Jacobs has also cited Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee as a target for Arsenal after he enjoyed a breakout season in Serie A. In Thiago Motta’s surprise package side that secured Champions League football, Zirkzee was the lone striker who knitted the team’s attack together.
Operating as a deep-lying forward, a lot of the Dutchman’s best work occurred outside the opposition box than in it. A close control and awareness of developing attacking situations made him a fluid figure individually and for his teammates. The 23-year-old linked up with his wide attackers via a slip pass between the lines or lay-off with physical size and a low centre of gravity that’s hard to contain for defenders. Zirkzee registered 11 league goals in 34 games, which will be a point of question if he takes the next step.
| Joshua Zirkzee’s 23/24 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 37 |
| Goals | 12 |
| Assists | 7 |
2 Dominic Solanke
Former Chelsea man could make return to Stamford Bridge
Former Cobham graduate Dominic Solanke has emerged as a viable option for the elite clubs in the Premier League, with a rumoured £65million release clause available for the league’s leading clubs. Solanke scored 19 goals for Bournemouth last term and is the most stylistically comparable player to Sesko on this list. With a 6’2″ frame, the 26-year-old poses a threatening box presence that would allow each team’s attackers to continue thriving in the space in and around the box.
The England international has limited value outside goal-scoring but would place significant worth on translating his scoring prowess to the top level. Nonetheless, Manchester City and Erling Haaland have shown if done right, it can make all the difference at the top level.
| Dominic Solanke’s 23/24 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 42 |
| Goals | 21 |
| Assists | 4 |
3 Ivan Toney
England forward had a difficult season after eight-month ban
Another English striker who could be in line for a move this summer, Ivan Toney’s stock has seen a recent dip in the last few months. Despite scoring in his first game after returning from his betting suspension, the Brentford forward has underperformed his expected goals (xG) after only scoring four times from an xG of six. However, that is expected when you spend eight months banned from competitive match action.
At his best, Toney is an all-action striker whose profile is hard to turn down. Even more so, if a major price drop is expected to be true. Despite failing to impress in the final few months of the season, Toney was selected as part of England’s Euro 2024 squad, and he’ll be hoping to make a difference if he gets the opportunity.
| Ivan Toney‘s 23/24 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 17 |
| Goals | 4 |
| Assists | 2 |
4 Viktor Gyokeres
Outstanding debut season at Sporting makes Swede top target
There won’t be a price drop for Sporting’s 43-goal man, and rightly so. If numbers such as that don’t suggest a player worth considering, even for a rumoured £86 million, then not much will. Viktor Gyokeres’ goal contributions fired Ruben Amorim’s Sporting to the Portuguese title. Gyokeres has been clinical in front of goal and is an absolute powerhouse, with or without the ball.
With an obvious physical advantage and clarity in movement, he’s given almost every defender in Liga Portugal headaches this campaign. The Swede would offer Chelsea and Arsenal serious ammo in transition, something the latter will be hoping to use after falling just short for a second successive season to Manchester City.
| Viktor Gyokeres’ 23/24 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 50 |
| Goals | 43 |
| Assists | 15 |
5 Julian Alvarez
The Argentine could seek a move away from Man City
Compared to Julian Alvarez, the others seem like wildcard options. It speaks to the quality and certainty that the Argentine has displayed for club and country in the past two seasons. A treble-winner for Man City, and victorious in the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, Alvarez may have been usurped by bigger names in both successes, but his impact was just as key.
At City, Haaland is the focal point and Alvarez is the versatile running mate who dovetails adeptly, in particular in the 2022-23 season, between the lines. For Argentina, the 24-year-old is more of a harrying figurehead, as he showed in the World Cup final against France. A move for Alvarez, who signed for City in 2022, would be challenging given City’s unwillingness to sell, but equally tempting to pursue as Alvarez has left the potential door open.
| Julian Alvarez’s 23/24 Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Appearances | 55 |
| Goals | 19 |
| Assists | 13 |
