Arsenal face £173m Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko transfer dilemma amid pre-season pressure

The transfer window remains ongoing and for Arsenal they are finally beginning to announce their summer acquisitions with Kepa Arrizabalaga now in and soon the expectation is Martin Zubimendi will follow. However, despite talks for as many as five more players under way, impatience continues to grow.

There is particular unrest about the striker position and question marks over what has become a bit of a mess with conflicting reports on both Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko everywhere.

With so much transfer chat ongoing it felt like the time for a Q&A session with our chief Arsenal correspondent Tom Canton. Here are some of the highlights.

Question: What's the main issue surrounding our striker quest? What's up with signing Chelsea players, cuz it's getting like an addiction. I think we should offload Martinelli and Trossard and replace them with Lookman and Rodrygo,

Tom Canton: The main issue is the prices being asked for by both RB Leipzig and Sporting CP. At the moment Arsenal are simply not prepared to reach those levels and are hoping that patience will pay off and the demands will loosen for them to find an agreement.

Martinelli and Trossard are not being thought of as sales this summer, but that could change if they were to receive a very tempting offer but it would have to be rather big. Sometimes Chelsea have the players that we want and they are willing to sell and the recent record of permanent signings of Kai Havertz and Jorginho would suggest a good reason why they have made that decision.

Question: If Kiwior and Zinchenko depart, do you expect Arsenal to go back in for Hato?

Tom Canton: Both would have to leave I think for Arsenal to consider moving for an alternative. Jakub Kiwior is definitely valued by the club and will only leave if a very good offer was to arrive for him.

Zinchenko's departure would be less surprising, but his sizeable wage demands will make selling him challenging. Mosquera's arrival adds more depth if his signing is completed.

Question: Why not sign Sesko & Gyokeres both. And retail our players. That's all we need. And €200m would do.

Tom Canton: You have to ask the question if you sign one, why would the other want to join? If one comes in the minutes expected by the other when you have the first in would be less than they would have expected.

Furthermore, Kai Havertz remains a very good option indeed. Prior to his injury he was on course for a 20+ goals season last year. Gabriel Jesus will return at the end of the year.

Question: If we don't complete our signing before the start of the pre-season, our new signing will not be much help. The first three games will decide greatly where we finish next season.

Tom Canton: The club wants to get deals done before pre-season begins, particularly the CF. However, they will not compromise on what they value players at to do so. The priority will be getting the striker they want in, over getting a (emphasis on that word) striker in before pre-season matches.

Question: What’s our exact position regarding our striker deals, there is too much rumours doing the rounds

Tom Canton: I can understand that it must be frustrating with so much noise around the striker role, among others.

To my understanding, very little has changed of late. Sesko is the player the club would prefer, but that is not to say they do not see good value in Gyokeres.

Negotiations at this scale are not simple processes, selling clubs have their valuations, as do buying clubs. Both clubs right now have valuations for Sesko and Gyokeres which are above what Arsenal are willing to pay, Sesko in particular.

If there is no wiggle room on price, Arsenal will likely move elsewhere because they want to do other business this window and despite having money, want to work comfortably within financial restrictions.

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