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Arsenal report: Benjamin Sesko price revealed, with deal close

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Arsenal have been heavily linked with Benjamin Sesko in recent weeks, with RB Leipzig dragging their heels

Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and FC Augsburg at Red Bull Arena on September 28, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.
Benjamin Sesko netted 21 goals this season (Image credit: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

After failing to secure a new forward last summer, the Arsenal hierarchy will know they cannot afford to make the same mistake again this summer.

A thin striker corps was the Gunners undoing this season, as injuries left Mikel Arteta’s squad exposed up front, with Mikel Merino having to be deployed as an emergency forward during the final third of the season.

A third consecutive second-place finish ensued and if Arteta’s men are ever going to shake their always-the-bridesmaid label, they will need to add more firepower to their ranks this summer.

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko plan revealed, as Arsenal look to swoop

Benjamin Sesko celebrates a goal for RB Leipzig against Borussia Dortmund in April 2024.

Sesko also has the likes of Chelsea, Juventus and AC Milan tracking him (Image credit: Getty Images)

RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko has been linked with a move to Arsenal for more than a year, with the 22-year-old opting to extend his contract with the German side last summer by another year until 2029.

This season has seen him net 21 goals and lay on six assists at Leipzig, meaning his future is again very much in the air, with the Gunners joined by a host of other European sides in the chase his signature.

Benjamin Sesko

The 6ft 5in striker's contract at Leipzig runs until 2029 (Image credit: Getty)

Chelsea, Juventus and AC Milan have also been linked with the 6ft 5in striker, who was left out of Leipzig’s post-season trip to Brazil, further fueling speculation that his time in the Bundesliga may be limited.

And now a report from Sky Sports Germany journalist Philipp Hinze suggests that Leipzig know exactly what they want to do.

“Leipzig’s plan is clear: they want to generate more than €80m from a transfer of Benjamin Sesko,” he posted on X (formerly Twitter). “The total transfer package is expected to exceed that amount. Arsenal remain the most concretely interested party.

“No breakthrough between the clubs yet. Leipzig remain calm and know the player’s value”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta

Arteta was sorely missing a striker this season (Image credit: Alamy)

In FourFourTwo’s view, Leipzig are gearing up to sell Sesko and bank a significant fee for him. Transfermarkt rank the forward at €70million and it would appear Arsenal need to spend at least that to land the 41-time Slovenian international.

Arteta will need to be sure that Sesko fits the bill as the final piece of their title-challenging jigsaw. Given how close the Gunners have been to winning silverware over the past couple of seasons, this is a transfer they need to hit on.

Joe Mewis
Joe Mewis

For more than a decade, Joe Mewis has worked in football journalism as a reporter and editor. Mewis has had stints at Mirror Football and LeedsLive among others and worked at FourFourTwo throughout Euro 2024, reporting on the tournament. In addition to his journalist work, Mewis is also the author of four football history books that include times on Leeds United and the England national team. Now working as a digital marketing coordinator at Harrogate Town, too, Mewis counts some of his best career moments as being in the iconic Spygate press conference under Marcelo Bielsa and seeing his beloved Leeds lift the Championship trophy during lockdown.