It has been over three years since an Arsenal striker scored more than 15 goals in a Premier League season which, for a team who want to be competing on all fronts, is a real concern.
Gabriel Jesus, who joined the Gunners in 2022 for £45m, scored 11 goals in just 26 appearances in the league last season. While that level of output looks great, it is the Brazilian's limited number of appearances which is a big problem.
The 26-year-old has already missed more than 23 games through injury for club and country since making the move to North London just over a year ago.
With his current injury seeing him sidelined for a noticeable period, it has once again highlighted a real weakness in Arsenal's side - and that is their striking options.
Jesus' frequent injuries have seen Mikel Arteta often turn to academy product Eddie Nketiah to fill the void up front and, while he always works hard and often contributes in games - a forward with just 19 all-time Premier League goals (at 24 years old), likely cannot be the answer long-term.
So with Jesus' availability anything but guaranteed and Nketiah's output inconsistent, it is understandable that Arteta may be looking elsewhere for a striker.
It is said that Slovenian sensation Benjamin Šeško has emerged as Arteta's priority target, and it should be no surprise that the RB Leipzig man is high on the wish list. Here, we will look at Šeško in some depth, as well as other potential options for the Gunners.
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Šeško - the Slovenian Haaland?
Ok, ok. Perhaps it is a little too early to be making comparisons to Erling Haaland - who has just scored 33 goals in a single league campaign, breaking an untold number of records in the process.
That being said, you could certainly justify some small degree of comparison at this early stage of Šeško's career. Both first made their name at RB Salzburg, and were actually at the club at the same time as each other, though they were at very different stages of their career.
With that in mind, I spoke to Jan, an RB Salzburg fan, about Šeško and how he compares to the Norwegian superstar - to perhaps gain an insight into his potential career trajectory.
Jan told me:
"They (Šeško and Haaland) are very similar in their playing style. The difference is that Haaland explored and scored the goals but Šeško missed a lot of chances."
So, in short, he plays in a similar style to Haaland, but does not reach the same heights as the Norwegian, and certainly not as often.
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Biggest strength and weakness
Work-rate
One of Šeško's biggest strengths is his undeniable work rate, something that Jan confirmed as well when speaking to them. Not only is the 20-year-old tireless in trying to stretch the space and create chances in attack, but he can also often be found dropping back for defensive duties - somewhat resembling Harry Kane's work rate.
Inconsistency
It is somewhat easy to point out the positive attributes of a highly-rated starlet, but it is usually far more difficult to highlight their weaknesses. While Šeško does not have too many of the latter, he does have one particular area of his game which causes some concern.
His consistency, or indeed lack thereof, sees him become something of an annoyance to his fans at times, given that you never know exactly what version of the striker you will get.
With his talent, though, he has never had to wait too long to get back on the scoresheet, which perhaps offsets this issue to an extent, although it is admittedly very important for strikers to be consistent and reliable for their team - especially at the highest level.
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How would he fit in at Arsenal?
We have already established that Arsenal need a striker. But, despite his enormous talent, Šeško would not automatically solve their problems in attack.
The whole reason that the Gunners may look to sign a new striker is to improve on the consistency of their current options which, as we have seen, is by no means a guarantee for the Slovenian.
With that being said, his numbers this season have looked very promising, and are definitely a step in the right direction. With six goals despite starting just four games this season, with limited minutes elsewhere from the bench, he looks to be reaching a new level in his game.
Despite this promise, however, he has still shown signs of inconsistency that potentially make him a risky option for an elite club as a starting striker. With that being said, it is admittedly difficult to build up consistency with such limited playing time.
As for his overall playing style, however, he would suit Arsenal's current system almost perfectly. Given his height and aerial presence, Šeško would be able to latch onto and convert crosses from Gabriel Martinelli and Bukayo Saka, but also has the strength and work rate to bully defenders single-handedly.
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Other options
So if Šeško is too inconsistent, and unfinished, to be a viable option for the Gunners, who should, or could, they target to solve their issue?
Many names have been linked with Arsenal in recent months and years, but some feel more likely, and carry more weight, than others.
Somebody like Victor Osimhen would be a superb signing for any team in world football, but is just not realistic for an Arsenal side who had to sign David Raya on loan due to reported Financial Fair Play (FFP) restraints.
Another option who is linked with the club at almost every possible moment is Ivan Toney. The 27-year-old returns from his ban (due to betting offences) in January, and had been prolific prior to his enforced period without playing.
Toney has netted 32 goals in his last 66 Premier League appearances and boasts many attributes similar to Šeško - like his physicality and aerial presence. Based on current reports, the one-time England international would likely cost more than Šeško, which could be a stumbling block, but he is also already a proven prolific goalscorer.
Another option had been Dušan Vlahović and, while the media maintain he is a target, it is difficult to imagine Arteta reigniting his former interest in the Serbian, after their last failed pursuit of the Juventus striker.
That being said, he is also a very similar profile to the aforementioned players and would also be a great fit, on paper, for how Arsenal play but, like Šeško, he has struggled with inconsistency at times during his career - and is currently on a run of six games without a goal.
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So, what is the answer?
It is very difficult to know with any degree of certainty which of Arsenal's options would work the best as a new addition for the club.
Inconsistency is a big concern but, with more consistent playing time, the likes of Šeško, or even Vlahović, have a huge upside if things work out well, and could be among the best forwards in world football.
Alternatively, someone like Toney has already proven himself time and time again, which cannot be ignored when considering the best option to pursue.
In short, we likely will not know if Arsenal's eventual signing is the 'right' one for several months, at least, after they join the club. Many of the reported options look on paper as though they would be great additions but, in football, you just never know.
