Arsenal now need to think of solutions after a key transfer target in Benjamin Sesko confirmed he would not be leaving this summer.
Sesko had offers on the table from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United, but has chosen to stay and sign a new contract at RB Leipzig, in a huge blow for Mikel Arteta.
Arsenal now need to decide what other striker target they should push for, if any, but it is clear that a player with speed and goalscoring instincts is needed in the squad, even if they do not arrive as an immediate starter.
The Gunners have a lot of goals in the team, but an attacker who can find the goal out of nowhere even when the team is not performing well would help them next season, and they may have one final opportunity to add such a player to the squad.
Why Serhou Guirassy would be a good option for Arsenal
Stuttgart attacker Serhou Guirassy enjoyed an outstanding season in the Bundesliga, with the 28-year-old scoring 28 times in 28 league games.
This outstanding record eclipsed Sesko’s in the same league, and helped Stuttgart finish above Bayern Munich in the table in second place.
The Guinean’s deadly finishing ability was vital to this, with The Guardian recently highlighting how Guirassy was the only player in the Bundesliga with a more lethal shot than Sesko.
“Of the 127 players to fire off at least 25 shots in the Bundesliga last season, only the Stuttgart forward Serhou Guirassy (30.4%) had a better conversion rate than Sesko (29.8%),” they revealed.
The striker would arrive as a pacey option who can produce goals from the tightest of angles, and if Arsenal can hijack a move for him, they could secure a bargain option.
Arsenal will have to battle Borussia Dortmund for Serhou Guirassy
Guirassy has a release clause of just under £15m, making him an absolute bargain for whoever lands his signature.
Borussia Dortmund have realised this, and are now reportedly preparing an offer to sign him, knowing what he is capable of in the Bundesliga.
If Arsenal are to hijack a deal for Guirassy, they would have to do it soon, and a move makes sense if he is willing to join. At £15m, he would cost just 27% of the price Sesko would have at £55m, and arrive as a more proven finisher. If Guirassy did not settle well, he could have been moved on with little harm done, especially given Kai Havertz’s form upfront.
Arsenal may prefer to sign a younger player, but Sesko’s rejection does show they are not operating in an easy market, and a value signing like Guirassy may have to be completed instead.