For Arsenal, over the past period of matches, they have gradually regained their form, which has improved their position on the league table. Regardless, with the season just over halfway through, they remain among the contenders for the championship. At the same time, Arsenal's recruitment in this transfer window has officially started, with at least two significant signings already "on the verge" of completion.
Overall, Arsenal's performance this season has shown a clear contrast between attack and defense. Defensively, Arteta's team is the best-performing in the Premier League; throughout the season so far, they have conceded only 19 goals in 21 games, with an average of only 0.9 goals conceded per game, ranking first in defensive efficiency among all teams. Players such as Saliba, Gabriel, and Thomas Partey have all performed at an extremely high level. In the eyes of the outside world, the reason why Arsenal has performed well in strong matchups in recent seasons is mainly due to the stability of their defense. However, in comparison, the team's performance in attack is somewhat lacking.
Objectively speaking, purely from a data perspective, Arsenal has scored 41 goals in the league this season, second only to Liverpool and Tottenham, ranking third, which basically matches their current position. However, it is worth noting that in Arsenal's goals, corner kicks account for too high a proportion, and the team's positional attack efficiency is not ideal. Looking at the distribution of goals within the team, Havertz, who has scored the most goals, has only 7 league goals to his name and cannot enter the top ten in the league scoring chart. Moreover, this German striker's recent form has been quite poor, continuously missing excellent chances and has become the target of much criticism. Additionally, Jesus, who recently recovered his form, is seriously injured, along with Saka, who is still recovering from injury, leaving Arsenal with almost no attacking options.
In this situation, Arteta no longer denies the need to sign a top-level striker. In the eyes of the outside world, this is tantamount to publicly announcing that Arsenal has officially started its recruitment targeting the center-forward position. According to transfer expert Sam C, Arsenal has already had formal communication with Leipzig to discuss signing Sesko from their ranks. This season, Sesko has shown outstanding efficiency, scoring 13 goals and providing 3 assists, directly contributing to 16 goals. Furthermore, considering his technical characteristics, the tall Sesko can not only score but also act as a "bridgehead" upfront, making him the type of center-forward Arsenal needs most. On the transfer market, Sesko's valuation is 50 million euros. Considering the premium factor, Arsenal is expected to pay no less than 65 million euros in transfer fees.
In addition to the center-forward position, Arsenal also needs to strengthen their midfield. From this season's performance, Merino's performance did not meet expectations; aside from good heading and physical confrontation abilities, this Spanish international has not yet shown other sufficiently excellent qualities. Jorginho's state has declined significantly with age, and he may even leave as early as the winter transfer window. Thomas Partey's contract renewal prospects are not optimistic, as Arsenal has not yet reached an agreement with him on the duration and salary terms of his next contract. Moreover, including Declan Rice, Arsenal's ability to play out from the back in the holding midfielder position has never met Arteta's tactical requirements.
According to London Football, Arsenal has set their sights on Zubimendi as a must-have transfer target. In terms of technical characteristics, Zubimendi excels at both ends of the field, especially in his ability to play out from the back, making him one of the best in European football. This has made him a sought-after target by many top clubs. It is reported that Arsenal has decided to pay a transfer fee of 60 million euros to sign this "big-name target." The transfer is now entering its final stages.