Gunners cool pursuit of Alexander Isak with focus turning to Victor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko amid striker search
As Arsenal continue laying the groundwork for another ambitious summer transfer window, the club’s longstanding interest in Alexander Isak appears to have hit a financial brick wall. The Swedish striker, whose dazzling form at Newcastle United has earned him admirers across Europe, is now seen as an unrealistic target. Instead, Arsenal are recalibrating their sights, with Sporting CP’s Victor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko emerging as more attainable alternatives.
Alexander Isak move off the table — for now
If Arsenal fans were dreaming of Isak in red and white, those hopes have been doused — at least for the time being. According to trusted journalist David Ornstein, any move for the Newcastle No. 14 would likely stretch the Gunners’ budget far beyond its intended limits. With Newcastle valuing the striker at upwards of £150 million, the asking price alone could consume — if not exceed — the entirety of Arsenal’s transfer war chest.
“I don’t think Alexander Isak is going to be realistic,” Ornstein told CBS Sports this week. “He’s not the only name like that. You hear talk of Victor Osimhen and others, but Arsenal are more likely to focus on names like Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.”
For all of Isak’s brilliance — 17 Premier League goals this season and counting — Arsenal’s need to be strategic in the market is understandable. While Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar both admire the 24-year-old’s technique, flair, and composure in front of goal, the sheer cost and the complications of negotiating with a direct Premier League rival are significant hurdles.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, meanwhile, is under no pressure to sell. With the Magpies pushing hard for a return to European competition, particularly the Champions League, parting ways with their most valuable attacking asset would undermine their entire project — unless a bid they simply cannot refuse is tabled.
A new striker still a priority
Despite backing away from Isak, Arsenal remain firmly in the market for a new centre-forward — one with physicality, reliability, and goals in his boots. Injuries to key attackers like Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo Saka, and Kai Havertz this season have stretched the Gunners’ frontline thin, and the need for another option has become impossible to ignore.
That’s where Victor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko come in. Gyokeres has been nothing short of sensational for Sporting Lisbon since his move from Coventry City. The Swedish international has racked up goals and assists with remarkable consistency in Portugal and has all the traits Arteta typically values: work rate, pressing intelligence, and clinical finishing.
Sesko, on the other hand, represents more of a long-term project — but an exciting one. The Slovenian striker, just 20 years old, has shown flashes of brilliance at RB Leipzig and is widely seen as one of Europe’s most promising young forwards. He’s tall, quick, technically sound, and comfortable linking play — all qualities that would suit Arsenal’s style.
Budget and balance: Arsenal’s summer dilemma
The looming question is just how far Arsenal are willing to go to land their next big striker. Last summer’s hefty outlays on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, and Jurrien Timber — along with the arrival of David Raya on loan with an option to buy — means the club will once again need to balance ambition with financial pragmatism.
Arsenal are not averse to making major signings, but they’ve been increasingly cautious about overpaying. The club’s board remains keen to avoid bloated fees that could hamstring future windows, especially with UEFA’s Financial Sustainability Regulations tightening the net across Europe.
That’s where the appeal of players like Gyokeres and Sesko becomes more evident. While neither will come cheap — Sporting are reportedly seeking close to €100m for Gyokeres, and Leipzig are not in the habit of selling prospects on the cheap — both represent better value in the market than someone like Isak, whose Premier League premium inflates his price even further.
What happens next?
Newcastle’s stance on Isak is clear: they don’t want to sell. And unless Arsenal throw financial caution to the wind — something they’ve shown little inclination to do — that’s unlikely to change. So while Isak may remain on the Gunners’ long-term radar, a move this summer appears dead in the water.
As for Gyokeres and Sesko, expect discussions to ramp up as the season nears its conclusion. Arsenal’s recruitment team has been doing their due diligence for months, and both players are believed to be open to a move should the right project — and fee — be presented.
Gyokeres, in particular, is said to be intrigued by the prospect of returning to England after his standout season in Portugal, while Sesko might be lured by the promise of development under Mikel Arteta, who has built a reputation for improving young players.
A striker-shaped puzzle piece
For all of Arsenal’s quality across the pitch, their next leap forward may hinge on signing the right forward. They’ve shown they can compete with the best, but to truly challenge for the Premier League title and make a deeper run in the Champions League, a consistent, elite-level striker could make all the difference.
Whether that ends up being Viktor Gyokeres, Benjamin Sesko, or another surprise name from the scouting files, one thing is certain: Arsenal’s hunt for firepower is officially on.
And while Alexander Isak may not be walking through the doors of London Colney this summer, that doesn’t mean the Gunners won’t find the final piece of their attacking puzzle.
