Manchester United and Arsenal have each spent almost £200m over the summer

Manchester United and Arsenal have each spent almost £200m over the summer, including the marquee signings of Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, both of whom could make their competitive debuts when the sides meet at Old Trafford on Sunday.

The Gunners narrowed their hunt for a striker down to a choice between the two players, according to BBC Sport’s Alex Howell, eventually prioritising Gyokeres, who cost an initial £54.8m from Sporting.

The Swede had also been linked with a move to the Red Devils, where he would have been reunited with former Sporting boss Ruben Amorim.

But with Gyokeres heading to north London, United turned their attention to Sesko, beating Newcastle to his signature for an initial £66.3m from RB Leipzig.

Sesko only trained with his new team-mates for the first time on Sunday so it remains to be seen whether he is ready to begin the game against the Gunners.

Gyokeres, meanwhile, featured in three pre-season friendlies, scoring his first goal in last weekend’s 3-0 win against Athletic Bilbao, and is likely to make his Premier League bow as a starter. Should he score, he would become the first player to mark his debut in the competition with a goal away to United since Paolo Wanchope for Derby in 1997.

Time will tell who proves the most astute signing. Gyokeres is the more prolific, netting 68 times in 66 league appearances in two seasons at Sporting. While he is untested in one of the top five European leagues, the 27-year-old is already at his peak, which should suit the Gunners.

After three consecutive second-placed finishes, and with a squad boasting formidable depth in defence and midfield, Arsenal don’t need a striker who may take several years to mature into the finished article. The priority is a player who can hit the ground running and help the club claim a first league title since 2004.

Sesko has more room for growth and – given his unusual combination of height and pace – arguably a higher ceiling. The 22-year-old, who netted 27 times in 64 Bundesliga appearances, overperformed his expected goals tally by 9.4 during his two seasons in Germany.

That was the league’s second best figure, behind Harry Kane, and an early sign Sesko could prove to be an elite finisher.