The dream Arsenal attack with two new signings to join Bukayo Saka

Arsenal are looking to strengthen their attacking options this summer, with at least two new key additions being touted – namely a striker and a left-winger.

Mikel Arteta has implemented a strong defensive structure at The Emirates, emphasising a cohesive and compact team shape, disciplined organisation and proactive pressing.

Despite accusations of a defence-first system, Arteta’s side scored the third-most goals in the Premier League last season with 69 goals, some way off league winners Liverpool with 86, but only three behind Manchester City, who finished a position below them.

However, some of the criticism behind the North London club’s style of play is warranted, particularly in an attacking sense, if they are to be serious challengers for the Premier League title in the coming seasons.

Of their 69 league goals, just 41 came from open play, the seventh most in the league, behind the likes of Brighton, Brentford and Fulham.

It is also important to highlight that their xG from open play last season was only 58.4, meaning they actually overperformed their xG by about 10 goals. This is a significant drop off from 68.5xG in 2023/24 and 68.9xG in 2022/23.

Where they have thrived in particular is set pieces, as Arsenal scored 15 goals from dead-ball scenarios (not including penalties), which accounted for roughly 22% of their goal types last season.

Only Nottingham Forest, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa scored from more set plays, even with Bukayo Saka, arguably one of the best set-piece takers in the world, having missed nearly three months of the season with a hamstring injury.

As the Gunners look to revamp their attack ahead of next season, we’ve taken a look at how that area of the pitch may look when fully fit and if they have a successful transfer window.

The starting striker

Up front, Arsenal have more often than not used Kai Havertz as a focal point when fit, with the German excelling when it comes to dropping deeper to link up play and pressing from the front.

Whilst a unique, highly effective and versatile forward, the German cannot consistently get in behind a defence, lacking the necessary pace to race beyond the back line to get on to the end of a defence-splitting ball.

Havertz also ranked in the bottom 43% of shots per 90, with just 2.5, whilst his 0.45xG per 90 ranked him in the bottom 41%.

In the 26-year-old’s absence, Gabriel Jesus has proven to be a less-than-reliable backup, missing a huge portion of last season with a cruciate ligament tear, playing only 18% of the available minutes in the 2024/25 campaign.

Similarly to Havertz, Jesus thrives at pressing from the front and linking up play, but simply hasn’t proven that he can put up the goal numbers required to be a title-winning striker, with just 18 league goals in an Arsenal shirt since his £45m move from Man City in July 2022.

Havertz and Jesus’s absence has led Arteta to deputise Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre-forward towards the latter stages of the season, which, although he proved he is capable of filling in, is certainly not an ideal scenario.

This problem in attack has led Arsenal to pursue an out-and-out centre forward this summer: someone capable of getting in behind a defence, creating chances for themselves whilst capable of dropping deep and linking up play.

Both RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres have been linked with a move to North London this summer, with the former seemingly the most likely of the two to make the switch.

Since switching from Coventry to Lisbon, Gyokeres has propelled himself as one of the most lethal and sought-after strikers in world football, registering a ridiculous 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 appearances across all competitions in the Portuguese capital.

The Swedish international looks set to depart Sporting this summer; though under contract until the summer of 2028, his contract contains a reported £85m release clause.

However, a gentleman’s agreement with the club has been speculated, whereby should a fee of around £70m, including add-ons come in, it would be accepted. Although Gyokeres is said to be furious after the club has supposedly gone back on this.

With former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim interested in bringing Gyokeres to Man Utd, Arteta’s attentions have seemingly turned to Slovenian wonderkid Sesko, who, despite being five years younger, would cost a similar price.

The 22-year-old’s ceiling is incredibly high. He possesses all of the physical attributes required to be a world-class striker, standing at 6ft 4 but also remarkably quick despite his frame, clocking a top speed of 35.7 km/h last campaign, putting him firmly as one of the Bundesliga’s quickest forwards.

This mobility allows him to comfortably beat defenders for pace, and twinned with his flair and his willingness to take on his man, averaging 1.33 successful take-ons per 90, makes him a scary prospect for the opposition to try and contain.

Sesko can drop deep, dragging the opposition defenders out of position before finding a wide pass to a teammate, allowing his side to hit the opposition on quick counterattacks.

His first touch in tight spaces will be an area he must improve on if he is to reach his ceiling, averaging 2.54 miscontrols and being dispossessed 2.11 times per 90, something which he simply cannot afford to be doing regularly in the Premier League.

Whilst Havertz may have the upper hand on Sesko in terms of being the more effective player when dropping deep, the Slovenian no doubt has the upper hand when taking on his man and pure physical ability.

If Arteta can mould Sesko into his image, he has the potential to be one of the best strikers in the world, and Arsenal’s question to that centre-forward role will be answered emphatically.

The starting left-winger

It was announced over a month ago that Arsenal were looking to extend the contract of Leandro Trossard, whose current deal is set to expire next summer, but talks around a new deal have since gone quiet.

The 30-year-old was a regular fixture for Arsenal last season, playing in every Premier League and Champions League game available, recording 10 goals and 10 assists in 56 appearances across all competitions.

The other option on the left that Arteta frequently utilised was Gabriel Martinelli.

Having joined The Gunners six years ago at 18, the Brazilian has become another regular option under the Spanish head coach, missing only 10 league games across the past three seasons, primarily down to injuries.

Martinelli has scored 51 goals and recorded 29 assists in 225 appearances across all competitions for Arsenal – hardly jaw-dropping numbers.

With this in mind, Arsenal are said to be willing to bid up to £68m for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, who started in just 22 of Los Blancos’ league games last season and played in just 57% of the league minutes available.

To add to this, the 33-time capped Brazilian international was often played out of his preferred left-wing position, with compatriot Vinicius Jr more often than not favoured in that role.

With Carlo Ancelotti departing the Bernabeu, new boss Xabi Alonso has spoken highly of Rodrygo despite speculation surrounding his future, saying: “The other day [against Pachuca] was a technical decision but he’s still important, he’s a special player. I think he’ll play an important part at the Club World Cup.”

The two Brazilians compare very differently. Whereas Rodrygo prefers to pass the ball more frequently, averaging 50.35 passes per 90, Martinelli is much more direct in his play, averaging just 18.73 passes per 90, putting him in the bottom 13% of wingers.

Martinelli also crosses the ball over six times more frequently than Rodrygo, averaging 0.64 crosses into the penalty area per 90, compared to the Real Madrid players’ 0.10.

Both of these metrics must consider the style of play of both teams they play for.

The Gunners have Havertz, Merino, William Saliba and Gabriel to aim for, all of whom are over 6ft 2 tall and aerially dominant, whereas Madrid, on the other hand, have fewer options to aim for.

Rodrygo’s Champions League knockout goals ⚽️#UCL pic.twitter.com/FLusodf90h

— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) March 12, 2025

Now 24 years old, Rodrygo joined Madrid from Santos in July 2019 for roughly £40m and has since gone on to play 268 times for the club across all competitions, scoring 68 goals and assisting a further 51.

If Rodrygo is to come through the door at The Emirates this summer, one of Martinelli or Trossard will likely have to leave, with the latter seemingly the most likely due to his age and contract situation.

The prospect of the compatriots competing for a position in both their international squad as well as at club level is a very real prospect, and there is no doubt that Rodrygo would present a significant upgrade on the left flank.

The backups

With Saka almost irreplaceable on the right side when everyone is fully fit, Arsenal have another Hale End academy product ready and waiting in Ethan Nwaneri.

Still only 18 years old, Nwaneri made his first team debut for Arsenal at just 15 years, 181 days old, making him the youngest Premier League player of all time, a title which he retains to this day.

The England U21 international has been slowly integrated into the squad this season, making 37 appearances across all competitions in total last campaign, nine more than four-time Premier League champion Raheem Sterling.

In the presumption that Sesko will become The Gunners’ new centre-forward, one of Havertz or Jesus will play as backup.

Havertz can also play in attacking midfield, so he may start to deputise more there in the absence of Odegaard or Merino, but we still expect him to play predominantly as a centre-forward.

Jesus’s role in the squad should Sesko join becomes increasingly unclear, as he will have to compete with two players for the striking position instead of one.

He is another option to play out on the left, but again, he will find at least two players ahead of him in the pecking order there.

In terms of the left-wing position, should Rodrygo join Arsenal, that position will effectively be his to lose. In the event the Brazilian signs, Trossard will likely depart The Emirates over Martinelli, who will then compete for his position on the left with Rodrygo.

Dream Arsenal attacking depth next season