Suddenly there is a new urgency for the long-term manjacht of Arsenal for a center-forward.
The release day of the fecture has handed Mikel Arteta's eternal bridesmaid trips to Old Trafford and Anfield before the Deadline of the Transfer, followed by collisions with Manchester City and Newcastle in September.
It means that Arsenal must be linked with a new striker – and fast.
Liverpool, Chelsea and both Manchester clubs have all been busy in the early days of the summer market, but they have all been quiet in Arsenal – second place three seasons in a row.
While the real Sociedad -midfielder Martin Zubimendi and Chelsea keeper Kepa Arrizabalaga are expected to arrive at the Emirates, Arsenal has an urgent need for a frontman.
It is a story that is as old as Arteta's five and a half-year government and the Spaniard has made no secret of his desire to conquer an out-and-out goal scorer, after the injury of Kai Havertz in January Kyboshed his slender hope of challenging Liverpool for the last term.
New Emirates Sporting Director Andrea Berta gives a priority to a striker and has several records that run – with RB Leipzig Hitman Benjamin Sesko and Sporting Lisbon's Viktor Gyokores both leading goals.
The chance of the opening weekend of the season – but for which side?
Ruben Amorim hopes that his narrow ties with Gyokeres will lure the former Coventry man to Old Trafford – despite the absence of European football for the second time in 35 years.
In the meantime, Leipzig Hardbal is playing through a fee for the 22-year-old Slovenian attacker Sesko with an eye-watery asking price of £ 85 million.
When competitions for the new campaign are released, it is always worth pointing out that – yes – every Premier League club will play every other club at home and away.
But Arsenal's luminaire list is seriously advisable. Although United is perhaps no longer the United States, the first Sunday of the season is not an ideal moment to visit, with new signing sessions and (perhaps short -term) optimism in the air.
A trip to champions to Liverpool on the weekend before the window is closed on 1 September is formidable.
Then comes a September that from City and Nottingham Forest, as well as a Champions League opener, brings to St James' park before the long term – where the Gunners were defeated twice last season.
Arteta will be afraid of the idea of ​​a climb for a striker on Deadline Day -and also desired with a winger, to challenge Gabriel Martinelli -De Gunners -Baas wants to get both on board for the pre -season trip to Singapore and Hong Kong.
After five seasons without silverware, the need of Arteta to run the ground is clear if Arsenal has to win a first title in 22 years.
Berta is determined not to fall into the trap to choose one striker, to miss and leave Arteta to settle for what he has – namely Havertz, who is perhaps more effective as a no. 10, and Gabriel Jesus, still recovering from an ACL injury.
Gyokores and Sesko are not the only men on the Hitlist of Berta – although Arteta's ideal signing, Alexander Isak, out of reach now Newcastle is now looking back in the Champions League.
And Ollie Watkins from Aston Villa does not represent any value for about £ 80 million for a man who turns 30 this year.
Arsenal is free this summer to be large, under PSR instructions.
But if they land an expensive striker and a winger – with Athletic Bilbao's Nico Williams, Rodrygo from Real Madrid, Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa and Anthony Gordon from Newcastle all on the radar of Arsenal – then the sale may be needed.
Oleksandr Zinchenko is excess to the requirements, while fellow defenders Jakub Kiwior and Riccardo Calafiori can be loaded.