Inside Arsenal’s plan to have a new striker for next season – despite reservations over a Euro goal machine… and why Marcus Rashford is no longer on their list: THE SAMI MOKBEL COLUMN

By the start of next season, the expectancy is for Arsenal to have a shiny new centre forward in situ.

Some will say it’s 12 months too late. On reflection there is credibility to those assertions, though full judgement on whether their failure to land a goalscorer in time for this season should be reserved until May.

But the fact recruitment staff, in liaison with manager Mikel Arteta, are gearing up towards making a significant outlay on a prolific striker may indicate a sense internally that there is a deficiency in arguably the most important area of the pitch.

The identity of who they go for remains an ongoing process and – as ever with transfers – will depend on myriad of factors: age, cost, injuries and experience.

But the most pertinent factor of all is simple: goals.

Part of the reason Arsenal decided against signing a striker in the summer was due to how Kai Havertz ended the season.

The decision could be seen as 12 months too late, with the club opting to stick with an in-form Kai Havertz at the end of the 2023-24 

Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is one of the candidates who ticks myriad boxes

The German scored nine goals in his final 18 games for the club last term.

In negotiations with potential centre forward signings ahead of the current campaign, it is understood that Arsenal provided no assurances that they would play ahead of Havertz.

Havertz’s 10 goals so far this season has certainly gone some way towards repaying that faith.

But there is an acceptance now that they need greater firepower.

Among the players who will be considered next summer will Newcastle striker Alexander Isak, who for many is the leading candidate to fill the role as Arsenal’s new attacking focal point.

The Sweden international ticks all the boxes for Arteta. Quick, sharp movement and a proven Premier League goalscorer.

There are, though, internal concerns over Isak’s injury record, particularly given the intensity of Arteta’s teams.

Benjamin Sesko remains of concrete interest to the Gunners, too. Arsenal held talks with regards to a move for the Red Bull Leipzig forward over the summer.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is another striker enjoying an impressive spell in top flight football

Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres is coveted by a number of top European teams, but his age could be a cause for concern

Representatives of the striker, who scored 28 goals for club and country last season, have been invited to the Emirates on numerous occasions so relations in that aspect are healthy.

But by all account the prospect of playing second fiddle to Havertz raised concerns for Sesko, who signed a new deal with Leipzig.

Nevertheless, the 21-year-old is expected to again become one of the hottest properties in Europe in the summer of 2025 but he will want to sure of regular first team action.

Arsenal will continue to monitor the exciting Slovenia international and will be in a strong position to strike having already completed much of the ground work if Sesko is identified as their main target.

The Gunners have been consistently linked with Sporting’s prolific hitman Viktor Gyokeres, who has scored 72 goals since the start of last season.

However, Mail Sport has learned that despite the Sweden international’s incredible goalscoring record there are reservations over a move for Gyokeres.

The forward has a reported £85million clause in his contract, a big financial commitment particularly when you consider he will be 27 by the time next season starts.

Isak will turn 26 in September, while Sesko will be 22 in May.

Marcus Rashford was tentatively considered this summer but there are no indications the club wishes to turn back the clock

There are also said to be some concerns over whether he can replicate his goalscoring record in one of Europe’s major leagues having built his reputation in Portugal.

There are no currently no indications that Arsenal will consider revisiting their tentative summer interest in Marcus Rashford either.

Rashford featured on a list of potential forward signings identified by the Gunners last summer.

The Manchester United player’s Old Trafford career appears to be drawing to a close with the club prepared to sell their academy graduate and Rashford himself admitting he is ready for a new challenge.

However, the predicted cost of signing Rashford meant Arsenal did not pursue their initial interest in the player last summer and despite recent developments Mail Sport are not aware of any plans to move for the 27-year-old.

Spurs keep their promises to Leeds transplant 

Tottenham have kept their word to summer signing Archie Gray, who joined the London club despite Manchester City’s interest amid assurances he’d play regular first-team football.

The youngster was one of the previous window’s most coveted players following his excellent displays for Leeds in the Championship last season.

Spurs beat competition from Manchester City and – to an extent – Liverpool in the race for his signature.

Tottenham tempted Archie Gray away from Leeds over the summer ahead of a number of rivals such as Man City and Liverpool

Ange Postecoglou has kept his promise and handed the teenager a number of roles in his XI

Gray held talks with City over a potential move, with a move to the Etihad to work under Pep Guardiola an obvious attraction to the youngster.

But sources close to the deal have revealed that Spurs’ guarantee to Gray and his family that he would be an active member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad was the deciding factor in the teenager choosing London over Manchester.

City, to their credit, were honest with Gray telling him that he would arrive as more of a development player rather than someone who could go straight into their first-team.

And Spurs have delivered on their promise; Gray already playing 17 first-team games this season.

Palace’s suprise Copa Libertadores link 

Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman is being heralded in Brazil as the unlikely architect of Botafogo’s historic Copa Libertadores triumph.

The Brazilian club won their first Copa – the South American equivalent of the Champions League – earlier this month to spark frenzied celebrations.

But Mail Sport can reveal that Botafogo owner John Textor is privately championing Freedman’s impact on the club’s recruitment structures, a development the American businessman believes has been key towards their euphoric success.

Textor, who also owns 45 percent of Palace, has lent on Freedman’s expertise to improve the club’s internal scouting networks with a view to identifying talent.

Crystal Palace sporting director Dougie Freedman has won plaudits for his role helping identify talent across John Textor’s ownership group

Sister side Botafogo won the Copa Libertadores at the start of the month for the first time

Indeed, Freedman is understood to hold regular dialogue with his counterparts at Botafogo, after representatives from the club visited Palace on a fact-finding mission in 2022.

And sources close to Textor have been quick to point out Freedman’s influence on their recent success, that also includes their first league title win since 1995 earlier this year.

Dewsbury-Hall’s sliding-doors transfer 

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall’s bench role at Chelsea will be garnering very little sympathy at Brighton.

Mail Sport this week learned that the 26-year-old was in the middle of undergoing an MRI scan ahead of his move from Leicester to the Amex when he was informed of the Stamford Bridge club’s offer.

Dewsbury-Hall turned his back on Brighton to join Chelsea, where he would join up with his Leicester boss Enzo Maresca.

But the midfielder hasn’t made a single Premier League start so far, his game time largely restricted to games in the Europa Conference League and Carabao Cup

Understandably, Brighton chiefs were less than impressed believing they’d agreed a deal with Dewsbury-Hall.

There is talk of Dewsbury-Hall being allowed to leave Chelsea for regular game time in January with a return to Leicester mooted.

Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall might be rueing a missed move to Brighton after finding himself kept from Chelsea’s preferred starting XI

European giants circling Greek starlet 

Olympiakos wonderkid Charalampos Kostoulas will cost a minimum £20million amid reports linking the youngster to the Premier League.

Manchester United were this week the latest club to be credited with an interest in the 17-year-old, who is widely viewed as one of the most exciting prospects in European football.

Juventus and Bayern Munich are among the clubs also credited with an interest.

And it is understood Olympiakos, who are owned by Nottingham Forest supremo Evangelos Marinakis, will demand a historic fee for their teenage sensation.

The Greek side will demand that any deal for Kostoulas’ exit would smash their existing transfer record for an outgoing player that currently stands at just under £17million when Wolves signed Daniel Podence in 2019.

Kostoulas has scored three goals in his seven league starts for Olympiakos.

Like father, like sons 

Manchester City academy duo Jaden and Reigan Heskey – sons of former England star Emile – are attracting Premier League and European interest. 

The Heskey brothers have earned plaudits for their performances for City’s youth sides and are regarded as two of the best emerging talents in the club’s youth set-up.

Jaden (left) and Reigan (right) Heskey are garnering praise in Man City’s youth set-up

Attacking midfielder Jaden, 18, has already caught the eye of Pep Guardiola after included in the pre-season squad that toured the USA this summer

Winger Reigan, 16, scored in an EFL trophy tie against Grimsby Town in October and his goalscoring numbers from a wide position are catching the eye.

England Under-17 international Reigan has scored 15 goals and provided seven assists in 18 games across all competitions for City’s youth sides so far this season.

Arsenal’s academy departure 

Arsenal attacker Reiss Nelson is expected to leave the club permanently at the end of the season.

The winger, who came through the club’s famed Hale End academy, is currently on loan at Fulham, where he has scored twice in 13 appearances so far.

Nelson’s deal with Arsenal expires in 2027, however there is a growing sense that the talented attacker will leave the club he joined as an eight year old next summer.

It is clear that Nelson has little chance of regular football under Mikel Arteta and there is an acceptance that is best for all parties that Nelson, 25, moves on.

Cause fatigue in the top flight?  

Premier League bosses have become disillusioned with the campaigns they are being asked to endorse on match days.

League games are regularly used as platforms to platform worthy causes, for instance the No Room For Racism and Rainbow Laces campaign.

There is said to be growing disillusionment around Premier League awareness campaigns like Rainbow Laces due to their variety and frequency

But Mail Sport understands that certain top-flight bosses feel such campaigns are becoming so frequent that they have lost impact.

‘Managers are being asked to wear a different badges every other week, half the time we just put it on and don’t even know what it is for,’ said a source.

Southgate’s return to Qatar 

Gareth Southgate returned to Qatar this week after attending the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Doha on Thursday night.

Mail Sport can reveal that the former England manager, who led the national team to a World Cup quarter final in the Arab state in 2022, was back in the Middle East as he watched Real Madrid defeat Pachuca to lift the trophy.

Southgate schmoozed with dignities at the Lusail Stadium – which hosted the previous World Cup final as Argentina defeated France – but had to skip the post-match drinks reception to travel back to England.

Having left the England job after eight years in charge earlier this year, Southgate indicated he may consider a new career away from football as he plots his return to work.

Nevertheless, Southgate, dressed in a dapper black suit and polka dot tie, was back mingling in football circles this week as he considers his next steps.