The first task of Andrea Berta’s Arsenal career last summer was to sign a valuable striker.
Last season, it was clear that one of the biggest gaps between the Gunners and Liverpool was the lack of centre-forwards, with the likes of Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffering long-term injuries.
So Mikel Merino and Leandro Trossard had to fill in as makeshift strikers, so they needed big names to come on and score goals.
While Benjamin Sesko was closely followed, it was Victor Gokeres who ultimately made the move to the Emirates Stadium, although not everything went to plan for the Swede.
As a result, Berta and the squad are looking to add more firepower to Mikel Arteta’s squad this summer.
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The Gunners’ biggest priority this summer will be strengthening their left flank.
Leandro Trossard has not scored a goal in 2026, while Gabriel Martinelli has scored just once in all Premier League seasons.
Possible candidates include Newcastle’s Anthony Gordon and PSG’s Kviča Kvaratskhelia, but it seems unlikely that he would leave Paris.
So what else is Arsenal aiming for? Now, with Gabriel Jesus set to leave the Emirates Stadium, they are looking for a back-up striker and have found one in Club Brugge forward Nicolo Tresoldi.
This suggests the Gunners are now the “top candidates” to sign the 21-year-old from the Belgian Pro League, according to reports in Germany.
The German has been in great form this season, with Arsenal set to begin “negotiations” to bring the forward into English football.
Previous reports put his value at around £26m this year.
Comparison of Tresoldi and Victor Gokeres
Gökeres’ story at Arsenal so far has been checkered, to say the least.
It would have been foolish to expect the former Coventry City star to repeat the 54 goals he scored last season with Portuguese side Sporting, but more was certainly expected of him.
Gokeres seems to be doing well in a spurt. His two goals against Spurs earlier this year were the best we’ve seen him in Arsenal colors so far. But in reality, his profile definitely does not fit Arteta’s system.
The 27-year-old is not a hold-up striker. He’s the guy who runs the channel and loves joining in later. Unfortunately, there are two problems with this.
The Gunners repeatedly play against low blocks where there is no space for Gokeres to run in behind. As a result, they often have to play at his feet, something he is not used to.
That means the Swede either floats through the game with limited touches or simply loses the ball every time it goes in. Anyway, that’s it’s pros and cons.
Tresoldi is unlikely to come along and solve those problems anytime soon, but he offers a different kind of profile that Arsenal could use to their advantage. The young striker, hailed by scout Jacek Kulig as “a reborn Luis Suarez”, has scored 17 goals in 48 appearances for Brugge this season.
He is very clinical, has speed and is a pressing machine. Compared to this season’s Top Division 48 Under-23 forwards, Tresoldi ranks seventh in last-third pressures with 26.1 per 90 minutes. What does this mean? Well, he is by nature a very hard worker and a nuisance for centre-backs.
That’s music to Arteta’s ears as he relies on his centre-forwards to set the tone for the press. To his credit, Gokeres wasn’t bad in this regard, so it’s probably his technical and physical profile that makes Tresoldi the better option for Arsenal.
Not only is he fast like Gokeres, but he also has better possession of the football and carries the ball more safely. There’s not much to go on, but the Club Brugge sensation has averaged 0.5 dribbles per game this season, compared to Gokeres’ 0.2. Essentially, the latter has barely completed the take-up.
Despite his age, he is athletically and physically mature and checks a lot of boxes. He’s tall, fast, powerful, works hard for the team and knows where the back of the net is. Judging from that, you could say he’s something of a hybrid between Gokeres and Havertz.
It is no surprise that manager Arteta and others have indicated their intention to sign him.
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