The summer transfer window doesn't even officially open until the end of next week, but as is the way in modern football, the rumour mill is in full force, and it's no different for Arsenal.
Mikel Arteta's side just came off another brilliant Premier League season but were pipped to the post by Manchester City for the second year running, and while they could boast a better defence than the Sky Blues, they scored five goals fewer.
So, with this in mind, it's not surprising that the Gunners have been linked to a number of strikers in recent weeks, although RB Leipzig's Benjamin Šeško seems to be the name mentioned more than any other.
However, according to reports, the North Londoners are interested in some potential alternatives to the Slovenian, and one of them may be the better option.
Arsenal's striker search
According to a report from journalist Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT earlier this week, while Arsenal are still interested in Šeško, they have placed several other strikers "on their list," including Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres.
Jacobs does not mention a potential price for the Swedish striker, but a report from January of this year revealed that the Lisbon side would not entertain a bid below his €100m release clause, which is around £85m.
While it would be a far more expensive deal to complete compared to the supposed £55m needed to land Sesko, the sheer weight of goals scored by the former Coventry City ace this season and last season means that it might prove value for money in the long run, and if Arsenal need goals now, he might be their man.
How Gyokeres compares to Šeško
So, raw output is the first and arguably most important thing to compare when looking at two striker targets. After all, their main job is to put the ball in the back of the net.
In this area, it's a rather emphatic victory for Gyokeres. In just 50 games this season, the 6 foot 2 "powerhouse", as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, scored 43 goals and provided 15 assists, and last season, he managed to score 22 goals and provide 12 assists in as many games for Coventry.
Appearances
50
41
Goals
22
18
Assists
12
4
Goal Involvements per Match
0.68
0.53
Appearances
50
42
Goals
43
18
Assists
15
2
Goal Involvements per Match
1.16
0.47
In contrast, Šeško scored 18 goals and provided two assists in 42 games for Leipzig this season and returned 18 goals and four assists in 41 games for RB Salzburg last year.
How about their striker-relevant underlying numbers, then? Does the "incredible" Swede, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, still dominate there? Well, unfortunately for the Slovenian, he does indeed.
Expected Goals + Assists
0.94
0.54
Goals
0.87
0.79
Assists
0.31
0.09
Progressive Passes
1.68
1.30
Progressive Carries
3.66
1.30
Shots
3.13
2.98
Shots on Target
1.53
1.62
Passing Accuracy
71.7%
66.5%
Goal-Creating Actions
0.66
0.42
Shot-Creating Actions
4.08
22.19
Successful Take-ons
1.96
1.02
For example, while he takes fewer shots on target per 90, he comes out on top in every other metric, including overall shots, successful take-ons, goal and shot-creating actions, progressive passes and carries, expected goals and assists, and actual goals and assists, all per 90.
Ultimately, while Šeško would likely be a brilliant addition to Arsenal's squad this summer if Arteta and Co want to bring in a player who seems almost guaranteed to score goals, Gyokeres looks like the far better option, even at a higher price.
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