Arsenal's Missing Piece: Top Strikers To Target in the 2025 Transfer Window

Arsenal's unshakable need for a striker has arguably been the headline feature of this summer's transfer window, but the Gunners are yet to make meaningful progress in acquiring their new No. 9.

So here’s a look at the most likely candidates. Decide for yourself: who should Arsenal rest their title hopes on?

Benjamin Šeško

Slovenian forward Benjamin Šeško has been strongly rumoured as Arsenal's primary target this summer—and it doesn't take long watching the 21-year-old to see why. He registered 13 goals and 5 assists in the Bundesliga last season. Not a mind-blowing return, but his explosive pace, raw strength, and ball-striking power are hard to ignore.

Leipzig's underwhelming campaign - finishing seventh - meant they often struggled to control games in a way Šeško would thrive in. To an extent, he’s been feeding off scraps.

That hasn’t stopped Europe’s elite from circling, but it’s Arsenal who appear to be making the most noise right now.

Šeško's 2024/25 Bundesliga shotmap. Image from Understat.

Šeško's shot map is surprisingly sparse for the lead striker at a European-level club, underlining just how little service he received. He took 68 league shots - the same as Nottingham Forest's Chris Wood - and averaged just 0.16 xG per shot. For context, Wood averaged 0.26 xG per attempt.

Šeško.

Ballon d'Or potential if he has the mentality for it.pic.twitter.com/GTEjubegzt

— EBL (@EBL2017) June 16, 2025

Almost 40% of Šeško’s shots (25) came from outside the box, a stat that doesn't align with Mikel Arteta’s playstyle. Arsenal had the second-lowest average shot distance (15.1 yards) in the Premier League last season.

So, why pursue him? It’s clear Šeško isn’t the complete package, and there’s little evidence he’d thrive in the tight spaces required of an Arsenal striker. He might not be the best player on this list—but he may offer something no one else can.

Key Stats

-13 Bundesliga 2024/25 Goals

• 1.68 Progressive Carries per 90 (top 23%)
• 45.1% Shots on Target (top 19%)
• 0.34 Shot-Creating Actions by Take-On per 90 (top 12%)
• 1.33 Successful Take-Ons per 90 (top 11%)
• 58% Aerial Duel Win Rate (top 4%)
• 17.3 Yards Average Shot Distance (bottom 8%)

All Stats Shown From FBRef. Percentiles taken from a comparison with the top 5 European Leagues over the past year.

The answer isn't entirely clear. Mikel Arteta has never been the most predictable manager, but what he wants from a centre-forward remains a complete mystery. With his size, strength and speed in mind, what Sesko offers is a physical profile that could dominate Premier League defences. The striker also boasts a unique combination of 1.33 successful take-ons per 90 (top 10% in Europe's top five leagues) and a 58% aerial duel win rate (top 4%) - so not only is he able to beat his man, but he is able to impose himself aerially.

Mateo Retegui

Despite winning the Serie A golden boot last season, Mateo Retegui is a name that has largely avoided news coverage so far this summer. That may be in part due to the 26-year-old only moving to Atalanta last summer, so it might be difficult to prise the Argentine-born Italian away from Bergamo, when he's only just settled in.

I’m starting to think neither Victor Gyökeres or Benjamin Šeško should be the next Arsenal striker.

Instead, enter Mateo Retegui. pic.twitter.com/u37kXQI9Km

— CounterPressers (@CounterPressers) May 22, 2025

Yet, it's surprising that no team is reported to have enquired about Retegui. He arrived at Atalanta as a promising but incomplete prospect, and within a year, under Gian Piero Gasperini, has developed his link-up play and technical ability with a catalogue of cute backheels and tidy one-twos to prove it. This progress is yet another notch on the striker's belt, as it shows the Italian's absolute commitment to his football, and his hunger to improve.

In addition to this, he is the only player in Europe who scored ten goals with each foot as well as five headers last campaign.

Key Stats

• 25 Serie A 2024/25 Goals
• 8 Serie A 2024/25 Assists
• 0.59 Goals per Shot on Target per 90 (top 4%)
• 0.57 Non-Penalty xG per 90 (top 13%)
• 7.59 Progressive Passes Received per 90 (top 6%)
• 1.34 Key Passes per 90 (top 16%)
• 2.32 Shot-Creating Actions Through A Live-Ball Pass per 90 (top 10%)

All Stats Shown From FBRef. Percentiles taken from a comparison with the top 5 European Leagues over the past year.

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting are yet to receive any official offers for the signature of their star forward, but Viktor Gyokeres will almost certainly be leaving Lisbon at some point this summer.

Whether his chosen destination will be North London remains unclear. The Swede has demanded the interest of just about every top club with his blitz towards the Liga Portugal golden boot (39 goals) and dominant performances in the Champions League. The 26-year-old boasts one of the most threatening profiles in all of football. He is physically overpowering, confident in possession both in terms of dribbling against defenders and when receiving the ball in tight spaces. He is ruthless in front of goal as demonstrated by the figures below, and is very much used to being 'the guy' for his club.

Key Stats

• 39 Liga Portugal 2024/25 Goals
• 4.08 Shots per 90 (top 1%)
• 4.94 Shot-Creating Actions per 90 (top 1%)
• 1.93 Successful Take-Ons per 90 (top 2%)
• 10.75 Progressive Passes Received per 90 (top 1%)
• 4.27 Progressive Carries per 90 (top 1%) All Stats Shown From FBRef. It's worth noting that Gyokeres' percentiles are compared to all European leagues due to Portugal not falling in Europe's top five.

Essentially, Gyokeres is the ‘proven asset’ on this list. His consistency over the past two years with clinical finishing, elite level link up play and ability to turn up on a big occasion – such as hat-trick against Manchester City earlier this season – is indicative that he is a very complete forward.

Ollie Watkins

When Arsenal submitted a bid for Ollie Watkins towards the end of the January transfer window, it was met with mixed reactions. On one hand, he is a Premier League proven striker who would bring goals. On the other, he isn't technically complete, and at 29, wouldn't have been a long-term solution.

As a result of this, it seems exceedingly unlikely that we'll see the London-born striker in red next season. Despite his track record and almost unmatched talent for a run and first-touch finish, Watkins lacks some of the high-ceiling explosiveness that Arsenal appear to prioritise.

🚨 Arsenal think the asking price for Viktor Gyokeres is too high so will focus on signing Benjamin Sesko or Ollie Watkins instead.

(Source: Record) pic.twitter.com/dNng9PAyn3

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) June 16, 2025

His 16 goals and 8 assists in the Premier League last season are evidence enough of him being the ultimate poacher - and if Arsenal had signed him in January, there is a very strong argument that the title race would have been far closer.

Watkins' 2024/25 Premier League shot map - only showing shots from open play. Image from Understat.

Key Stats

• 16 Premier League 2024/25 Goals
• 8 Premier League 2024/25 Assists

-1.20 Carries Into Penalty Area per 90 (top 13%)

• 1.18 Shots on Target per 90 (top 28%)
• 11.04 Passes Completed per 90 (bottom 22%)
• 2.19 Shot-Creating Actions per 90 (top 48%)
• 24.63 Touches per 90 (bottom 13%)
• 0..33 Successful Take-Ons per 90 (bottom 17%)

All Stats Shown From FBRef. Percentiles taken from a comparison with the top 5 European Leagues over the past year.

The above shot map and statistical profile paint a very strong picture of Watkins as a player. He is a high-quality goalscorer, able to get in good positions and capitalise frequently. But he lacks the technical ability to feel like an Arteta-style striker. Yet should all else fail, Watkins would certainly be a strong option for the Gunners.

Hugo Ekitike

Until Liam Delap was revealed as Chelsea's millionth signing of the Todd Boehly era, Hugo Ekitike was strongly linked with the Blues. In light of Delap's Ipswich departure, Hugo Ekitike has re-emerged as a forward very much on the market - although discussions with West London do seem to be ongoing.

The 22-year-old produced 15 goals and 8 assists for Eintracht Frankfurt last season, and showed the world that he is a star in the making. His lightning quick feet and proclivity for a fast-break saw him produce 21.6 xG in the Bundesliga - and clubs will be hoping that his finishing rates will improve with his age.

The Frenchman had 117 shots in the league (almost double Sesko's tally), so his ability to beat a defender and release a shot cannot be understated. His high volume of shots in central areas and inside the box are indicative of an ability to be in the right place at the right time.

Key Stats

• 15 Bundesliga 2024/25 Goals
• 8 Bundesliga 2024/25 Assists
• 3.74 Shots per 90 (top 7%)
• 3.04 Progressive Carries per 90 (top 4%)
• 1.90 Successful Take-Ons per 90 (top 4%)
• 6.73 Touches in Opposition Box per 90 (top 6%)
• 7.53 Progressive Passes Received per 90 (top 9%)
• 3.50 Shot-Creating Actions per 90 (top 6%)
• 1.6 Key Passes per 90 (top 5%)

All Stats Shown From FBRef. Percentiles taken from a comparison with the top 5 European Leagues over the past year.

For such a young forward, the talent Ekitike demonstrated last season is nothing shy of phenomenal. He showed his ability to work an angle in small spaces, exemplified a typical 'poacher's instinct' so many clubs yearn for, and has shown a great understanding of Dino Toppmoller's complex system.

Frankfurt were 'the most transitional' team in the Bundesliga - among the European teams with the most fast-breaks across the campaign. This suited Ekitike perfectly: the Frenchman enjoyed having so much space in behind and having the license to drive at defences. It's likely that, should he go to a club with a possession-heavy focus, like Arsenal, he would struggle initially - but would be able to adapt.

There are a whole host of strikers omitted from this list, but the players featured seem to be the most likely to move to North London this summer. Everyone's number one choice, Alexander Isak, has been deemed 'not for sale', and almost every other forward has question marks attached to them that make a move to Arsenal exceptionally unlikely. Victor Osimhen isn't technically complete enough. Jonathan David lacks the link-up abilities. It seems almost certain that at least one of the players on this list will be welcomed into the red part of North London with open arms by August.