Arsenal have opened talks with a Bayern Munich star to add dynamism in attack.
The Gunners finished second in the Premier League for the third season in a row last term, reaching the final four in the Champions League to boot, and now, manager Mikel Arteta is looking to take the club to the next level and win major honours.
With Arsenal lacking a proven goalscorer, the attack may be the priority this summer, with big names linked with North London.
Arsenal have opened talks with a major target
While Kai Havertz has ben criticised at times this season the German still top-scored for the Gunners across all competitions with 15 goals – despite missing a huge chunk of that through injury.
It's well-established that a new centre-forward could revitalise Arteta's attack, but with plenty of the burden falling on Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli out wide, there may yet be another winger arriving at N5, too.
According the Athletic's James McNicholas, Arsenal have already held talks with Leroy Sane over a return to the Premier League.
The Bayern Munich star is out of contract in June, and with the ability to play on both flanks, Sane could provide quality without the Gunners having to fork out a transfer fee.
FourFourTwo understands that a winger is not as high a priority for Arteta as a new no.9, meaning that funds could instead by funnelled into the capture of a forward like Benjamin Sesko, who has been touted as worth £92 million to RB Leipzig.
In the event that Arsenal choose to follow up and sign Sesko over Viktor Gyokeres, a cheaper option will likely be signed out wide, with Gabriel Jesus still recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Raheem Sterling returning after his loan spell – and their former Manchester City team-mate Sane certainly fits the bill.
Links have been surfacing all season between the German and a return to England – perhaps due to Sane wanting to initiate a bidding war between Bayern and interested parties – but FourFourTwo understands Arteta is a fan of the player.
The 29-year-old is worth €38m, according to Transfermarkt.
Arteta could well use Sane to re-visit an old tactic
In 2022, Arsenal were linked extensively with Raphinha, despite having a superstar right-winger in Saka. The Brazilian is now one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, having played as a left-winger all season… perhaps giving us a clue of how Arteta imagined using him.
It's certainly true that in the past couple of years, Martinelli has played more of a touchline-hugging role on that left-hand side, despite being right-footed – and that plenty of the frustration that he's evoked in Arsenal fans comes from his penchant for trying to beat full-backs on the outside, as he prefers to head for the touchline and cross rather than break into the box and shoot.
Well, perhaps that's why Arsenal are targeting Sane.
You only have to look at Sane's City spell to see what he'd do at Arsenal: the German was a left-footed left-winger who would use his pace to stretch the attack and create space for those in-field. Playing the same role under Arteta, he could end up creating plenty of space for Declan Rice's runs from deep, while offering a more natural crossing angle.
Sane's ability from the right could also be beneficial, too, as a backup to Saka. Arteta missed out on Raphinha – but the idea of bringing a similar player to that left-wing position may have never left his thinking.
