Arsenal are moving on from their interest in Benjamin Sesko and can now hand Mikel Arteta his own Robin van Persie by rivalling Tottenham Hotspur over a £42m transfer.
The Gunners were making progress in their bid to bring Sesko to the Premier League. But he has chosen to stay at RB Leipzig with the 21-year-old signing a new contract on Wednesday. Arteta had marked Sesko as Arsenal’s top striker target before the Slovenian pulled a U-turn.
A new attacking option remains a target for the off-season, however, despite Arsenal scoring a club-record 91 goals during the top-flight campaign. Arteta believes the Gunners must add depth to his attack to win the Premier League title at Emirates Stadium in the 2024/25 term.
Arsenal consider Tottenham target Santiago Gimenez as a Benjamin Sesko alternative
Reports by the Evening Standard note that Arsenal have a list of alternative strikers to target after Sesko chose to stay at RB Leipzig. The Gunners coveted his arrival to add a fresh touch to their frontline at 6 ft 4. But Arteta is not set on signing a true out-and-out centre-forward.
One of the names whom Arsenal admire to offer a different option after failing to sign Sesko is Feyenoord star Santiago Gimenez. The 23-year-old put Emirates Stadium chiefs on alert during the 2023/24 term after scoring 26 goals, including 23 in 30 Eredivisie appearances.
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Gimenez also laid on eight assists in the Buenos Aires, Argentina-born Mexico international’s 41 games across all competitions. HITC reports that the 6ft striker’s displays have also seen Tottenham identify Gimenez as their top attacking target for this summer’s transfer window.
HITC adds that Feyenoord value Gimenez at £42m and Spurs are already making their move to bring him to England. The attacker is under contract at De Kuip until June 2027 after they tied him down in August. He has been in Rotterdam since leaving CD Cruz Azul back in 2022.
Mikel Arteta can sign his own Robin van Persie in Santiago Gimenez
Arsenal rivalling Tottenham’s move for Gimenez’s transfer from Feyenoord might even hand Arteta his own Van Persie. The Mexico attacker has drawn comparisons with Van Persie and is expected to follow in the former Gunners captain’s footsteps given his displays at De Kuip.
Gimenez is seen as a Van Persie-esque talent for his all-round game and complete skillset to unite a frontline. As well as being the focal point for Feyenoord’s attack, Gimenez brings his teammates into their advances. He also does not always stick to any central position, either.
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Arteta knows well what Van Persie offered Arsenal following his transfer from Feyenoord in 2004. The Dutchman spent eight years in north London and struck 132 goals plus 56 assists in 278 appearances. Van Persie made 37 of his appearances at Arsenal with Arteta in the XI.
Van Persie and Arteta further combined for two goals during the 2011/12 season before he joined Manchester United. The former also won the 2004/05 FA Cup during his first season under Arsene Wenger at Highbury. Van Persie was also Arsenal’s Player of the Season twice.