Arsenal appear to be making progress regarding their transfer pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.
The Gunners desperately need a striker to alleviate their goal-scoring issues and to compete with Kai Havertz.
Arsenal have enquired about Sesko’s availability this month, and are awaiting an asking price from Leipzig.
There is a growing feeling that the deal could get done in the remaining days of the January window, in what would be a major coup for Mikel Arteta.
Sesko is one of Europe’s most in-form young strikers, and would provide Arteta with numerous different ways of setting up his attack.
So with that said, here’s a look at a few ways Arsenal could line up with the star.
Benjamin Sesko could be deployed alongside Kai Havertz
While most teams in the modern era don’t opt for a 4-4-2, Arsenal haven’t been afraid of using this system at times this season.
Martin Odegaard missed multiple months through injury earlier this term, and Arteta selected a front two consisting of Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz for much of this period.
The pair of attackers would interchange regularly, with one dropping in and the other staying high, while they’d both lead the Arsenal press as a front two.
The Gunners could trial a similar system with Sesko replacing Trossard.
The Slovenian has the pressing attributes but boasts much greater finishing instincts than the Belgian.
This would move Odegaard deeper, alongside Declan Rice, a role in which the Norwegian has flourished in at times.
While not an ideal formation for all scenarios and opponents, this set-up could be a useful system for Arteta deploy against sides that sit in deep low blocks.
Benjamin Sesko can be Arsenal’s single striker
The more likely way of setting up with Sesko involves keeping Arsenal’s rigid 4-3-3 shape and using the potential new signing as a lone striker.
While he’s often been deployed alongside another number nine for Leipzig, most frequently with Lois Openda, he has plenty of experience operating by himself up top for Slovenia.
In this system, there’d be a much greater onus on Sesko to hold the ball up himself and to be the focal point of the Arsenal attack.
However, he’d receive significant support from both eights, with Odegaard and Rice tasked with getting into the box and combining with the prolific forward.
Rice effectively crashed the box in the Gunners’ win over Dinamo Zagreb, and thus Arsenal fans have reason to be encouraged that Sesko would have sufficient support if used as a single striker.
Mikel Arteta could use Benjamin Sesko out wide
Another potential role for Sesko could be as a left-winger in Arsenal’s team.
Martinelli and Trossard have struggled for form this season, and thus, experimenting with a fit and firing Sesko on the left could be the answer for Arteta.
While he’s naturally a centre-forward, young strikers are often used out wide early in their career, in order to develop certain aspects of their game.
Sesko possesses some attributes that could make him suited to a wide role, such as his electric pace and smart movement in behind.
He wouldn’t be playing as a traditional winger in this role, but would instead be playing just off Havertz, to the left of the former Chelsea man, with the left-back providing the width outside of him.
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