Arsenal appear to have narrowed their search for a striker down to Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres.
The Gunners are looking to provide Kai Havertz with cover and competition this summer, and the aforementioned two have been identified as the North London club’s two primary targets.
Arsenal opened talks with RB Leipzig about signing Sesko earlier this week and Andrea Berta has the option of activating the Slovenian’s purported £67 million release clause.
Meanwhile, Gyokeres could be available for a fee in the region of £55 million.
However, while both players have a few outstanding attributes, neither are proven in the Premier League, and thus, both are risky.
Berta should look closer to home and sign a player with a track record of performing in the English top flight.
Arsenal should sign Nicolas Jackson from Chelsea this summer
Arsenal want to win major honours next season, and thus, it’s imperative that their new striker signing hits the ground running.
For this reason, Berta should consider a swoop for Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson.
The Senegalese forward has developed a reputation for being a wasteful finisher, and while this is certainly true, he threatens the opposition’s backline consistently with his exceptional movement in behind.
This negative reputation may mean that Chelsea undervalue him, and could subsequently mean Arsenal are able to land him on a cut-price deal this summer.
The Blues are set to secure the signing of Liam Delap, while they’re being linked with a move for Hugo Ekitike.
If both of these players do arrive at Stamford Bridge, Jackson’s minutes will no doubt plummet next season, and he might be eager to push for a switch away from West London.
Arsenal need to add additional pace to their forward line this summer, and they’re crying out for someone who makes relentless runs into the space behind the opposition defence, rather than coming to the ball every time.
This is exactly what Jackson does so frequently and so effectively, while he’s also put up two respectable seasons for goals at Chelsea so far.
In a more cohesive attacking side and with another year of experience under his belt, there’s no reason why the 23-year-old couldn’t improve tenfold at Arsenal.
Nicolas Jackson’s statistics
Thierry Henry thinks Jackson is on his way to becoming ‘the real deal’ (via Chelsea News), which speaks volumes about his potential.
While the likes of Gyokeres and Sesko’s underlying numbers leave a lot to be desired, the former Villarreal man is delivering impressive metrics in the most difficult league in the world.
Taking over three shots and accumulating 0.5 expected goals per 90 minutes, Jackson is bound to score goals due to the volume of chances he receives.
| Nicolas Jackson’s Premier League Statistics 2024/25 | |
| Appearances | 30 |
| Goals | 10 |
| Assists | 5 |
| Shots | 3.08 |
| Expected Goals per 90 | 0.5 |
| Key Passes per 90 | 1.13 |
| Expected Assists per 90 | 0.17 |
| Successful Take-Ons per 90 | 0.73 |
Still just 23, Jackson can certainly develop into a more clinical finisher as he matures, and the data indicates that if he manages to do this, he could start scoring at a ridiculously productive rate.
While he could improve aerially and with some of his hold-up play, Jackson would require minimal adaptation time at Arsenal given his experience in the Premier League.
If Chelsea give any indication that Jackson could be available this summer, Arsenal should at the very least contemplate signing the player.
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