The atmosphere around Arsenal at the moment is mixed.
Mikel Arteta’s side put in a barnstorming performance against defending Premier League champions Manchester City on the weekend and, in turn, have given their fans hope that they might be able to overturn their two-goal deficit away to Newcastle United in the League Cup tonight.
However, off the pitch, things are less than rosy as the board failed to make a single addition to the first team in the winter transfer window despite desperately needing attacking reinforcements following the injuries to Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus.
What might make the situation harder for fans to take is that the club were linked with a plethora of incredibly talented players, including Benjamin Šeško, and the fact that one of their former stars has outscored the Slovenian marksman as well as some of their current forward players, such as Gabriel Martinelli.
Arsenal's need for a striker
It was no secret that during the summer transfer window, Arsenal needed at least one attacking signing, as the only intentional additions to the frontline made under Arteta’s tenure have been Jesus and Leandro Trossard, with Kai Havertz initially joining as a midfielder.
1
Havertz
33
2686′
15
2
Saka
24
1828′
9
3
Martinelli
37
2341′
7
=
Nwaneri
22
647′
7
=
Jesus
27
1204′
7
4
Trossard
35
2040′
5
=
Magalhães
33
2764′
5
We’ve seen how this lack of firepower has affected the team this season, with the German being the only player to reach double figures for goals in the squad, while the injured Saka sits on nine and Jesus, Ethan Nwaneri and Martinelli are all on seven.
So, when the links to Šeško returned in full force last month, there was some excitement that the club would finally bring in another seriously dangerous striker with the skills and ability to rack up goals for fun.
For example, in just 29 appearances this season, the Radeče-born sensation has scored 14 goals and provided three assists, which might not sound incredible when you consider Havertz has scored 15 goals, but when you account for the fact he’s putting up these numbers at just 21 years old, it really is.
Moreover, the 6 foot 5 titan has been a force of nature for the national team, scoring 16 goals and providing three assists in just 39 senior caps, the first of which he won at 18.
In short, Šeško is a player who could’ve helped fire Arsenal to some kind of glory this season, be that in the league, Champions League or League Cup, yet a player sold by the club seven years ago managed to score more goals than him and Martinelli in his last full season.
The former Arsenal star outscoring Šeško
So, to get straight to the point, the former Arsenal star in question is Olivier Giroud, who joined the club in the summer of 2012 for just £12m from Ligue 1 side Montpellier.
Throughout the next five and a half years, the French marksman made 253 appearances for the North Londoners, scoring 105 goals, providing 37 assists and winning three FA Cups and three Community Shields.
However, in January 2018, he made a surprise £18m move to Chelsea – which allowed Arsène Wenger to bring in Pierre Emerick-Aubameyang – and in 119 appearances for the Blues, would score 39 goals, provide 14 assists, win another FA Cup and pick up a Champions League medal for good measure.
Not quite content with that, the “outstanding” marksman, as dubbed by former professional Danny Mills, would make another significant move in July 2021, this time to Italian giants AC Milan, where he’d play a crucial role in their 2021/22 Scudetto triumph and rack up an impressive haul of 49 goals and 20 assists in 132 appearances.
The Chambéry-born poacher left the San Siro last summer to join MLS side LAFC, and as he did so in the midst of their 2024 season, his tally across his final campaign with the Rosseneri and his first in Los Angeles was greater than Šeško’s so far this season.
Appearances
66
Minutes
4428′
Goals
19
Assists
10
Goal Involvements per Match
0.43
Minutes per Goal Involvement
152.68′
For example, he scored 19 goals and provided ten assists in 66 games, totalling just 4428 minutes, so while the former Gooner averaged a goal involvement every 2.27 appearances, he also averaged one every 152.68 minutes, which is undeniably impressive for a 38-year-old centre-forward.
Ultimately, Arsenal were probably right to move Giroud on when they did, as Aubameyang came in and blew teams away for a few years, but we’re sure Arteta would love to have someone like him in the squad today.
With that said, the club should also do all they can to sign Šeško in the summer, as his record is unreal for someone his age, and there is every chance he could develop into twice the striker the Frenchman was for the Gunners.
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