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It was interesting watching the highlights of the Leipzig vs Juventus game in the Champions League last week. It was a tale of two strikers, Benjamin Sesko and Dusan Vlahovic, who have been heavily linked to Arsenal in the past.
Both were impressive, scoring twice, although it was Vlahovic who eventually came out on top when Francisco Conceicao scored that fine late winner to give Juventus an exciting 3-2 win in Germany.
Whilst the Vlahovic ship has sailed when it comes to Arsenal, I’m keeping a keen eye on Sesko this season as I still think there is a chance that Arsenal will revisit their interest in the Slovenia international at some point, maybe even next summer.
Obviously they were very keen to bring him in during the last transfer window, but the 21-year-old decided to stay and sign a new contract with Leipzig.
That decision was a disappointment to Arsenal, but I don’t believe it was a decision that burned any bridges between the club and the striker in terms of a move in the future.
A lot of the groundwork was done before the summer window and I don’t believe there has been any sort of breakdown in relationship behind the scenes just because Sesko opted to stay put.
I’m sure Arsenal understood his decision at the time because to be honest it made a lot of sense. From a footballing and development point of view, staying with Leipzig was the right call.
Look at how things have gone. Sesko is playing regularly, he’s scoring goals and he’s developing nicely. Had he moved to Arsenal, he would have been playing understudy to Kai Havertz and probably having to make do with getting the odd minute here and there.
But at some point he is going to decide the time is right to move to a higher level and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if Arsenal go back in for him.
Arsenal still want to sign a striker. But they don’t want to sign one just for the sake of it. That’s why they kept their power dry last summer after Sesko said no earlier in the window.
They were confident they had enough firepower to get them through the season and the form Havertz is showing right now shows you why.
But I think they will look to add another frontman at the end of the season and I wouldn’t rule out Sesko again being a name which is towards the top of their list.
Ederson’s star is rising with Atalanta and Arsenal had an opportunity to get a close up view of his talents when the two teams met in the Champions League a few weeks ago.
The Brazilian is being linked with a number of clubs at the moment, including Arsenal, and that’s no real surprise given the way he has been performing in Italy under Gian Piero Gasperini.
Arsenal are looking at midfield options ahead of the summer, with the futures of Jorginho and Thomas Partey very much in doubt right now and I’m sure Ederson’s name would have been discussed given the form he has been in of late.
But I can’t say for certain whether he is a player they are seriously considering as an option right now. It’s just too early at the moment for that. I’ve certainly not heard anything myself.
There will be lots of midfielders linked with Arsenal over the coming months, that’s a given. But they will bide their time and make sure when they do make a move for someone, it’s someone they believe is who is perfectly suited to the project.
Ederson is clearly a very accomplished player, he’s shown that with Atalanta and he’s now starting to get some opportunities with Brazil as well.
Whether that’s enough to convince Arsenal to join the race for him, however, we’ll have to wait and see.
Kieran Tierney is continuing to work his way back to full fitness after the awful hamstring injury he suffered at the Euros in the summer while playing for Scotland.
Had that injury not happened, I’m sure Tierney would have been playing for another club right now. That was certainly the plan anyway following his loan spell with Real Sociedad last season.
But the injury put an end to any chances of a move and the focus now is on the left-back getting himself back fully fit ahead of the January window.
He’s not in Mikel Arteta’s plans anymore. That’s been clear for a long time and Tierney accepts that.
There is no animosity there. He knows the club has moved on and that his qualities as a left-back are not what Arsenal need in the system that they play.
He has been included in Arsenal’s Premier League squad for the season so he could play once fit, but I struggle to really see that happening.
He will hope to get a move in January, probably on loan, so he can get some minutes somewhere ahead of the summer when he can try and secure a permanent move away from North London.
Honestly, the whole Saka/Palmer/Foden debate just makes me laugh.
Why is it that every time one of them does something decent, we have to spend the next 24 or 48 hours arguing about who is better?
All three of them are just fantastic players in their own right. Isn’t that enough?
Obviously, I have watched Saka come through at Arsenal. I saw him in the youth teams and I saw him make the breakthrough into the senior side.
I was there in Germany when he scored his first Arsenal goal against Frankfurt in the Europa League and was one of the group of journalists who interviewed him immediately after the game.
It was obvious to me then that Arsenal had a player who was just a bit different to the majority of the rest you see come through the ranks.
I just had a feeling he was going to make a big impact on the team, but I could never have predicted what he has gone on to achieve since.
His record speaks for itself and the way he has started this season, despite having barely any time off, shows that he is still getting better and better.
He was phenomenal again on Saturday. He just steps up and delivers time and time again. He’s just so reliable, so consistent and so precise with what he does.
He won’t care about what’s said away from the pitch. Whether people believe he is ‘world class’ or not will not bother him in the slightest.
And that’s what’s so great about him. He’s so level headed, so mature. All he cares about is performing week in, week out for Arsenal.
He won’t be listening to any comparisons between himself and other players and using it as motivation. All he is motivated by is improving and trying to win trophies.
He’s the ultimate team player. Someone who will win a game for you in attack, but will also work as hard as anyone defensively. That’s what makes him stand out from the pack.
It’s been a privilege to watch his progression so far and I can’t wait to see what is still to come.
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