Arsenal remain in ongoing talks over a potential summer deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, with the Slovenian now making an “unusual” demand as he ponders a move to the Premier League.
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The north Londoners have a number of targets they’re exploring.
Sesko is one of sporting director Andrea Berta’s two prime centre-forward targets, alongside Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, and the Italian has apparently laid groundwork over both deals as he works to discover which one would be most doable (BBC).
|
Arsenal transfer spending under Arteta (via Sky Sports) |
Money on new signings |
|---|---|
|
19/20 – winter |
£0 |
|
20/21 – summer |
£81.5m |
|
20/21 – winter |
£900k |
|
21/22 – summer |
£156.8m |
|
21/22 – winter |
£1.8m |
|
22/23 – summer |
£121.5m |
|
22/23 – winter |
£59m |
|
23/24 – summer |
£208m |
|
23/24 – winter |
£0 |
|
24/25 – summer |
£101.5m |
|
24/25 – winter |
£0 |
This is the way Berta operates when it comes to recruitment, and more striker targets like Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitiké or Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins could still come back into play (Graeme Bailey).
Arsenal have held “concrete” talks over a move for Sesko for weeks, according to Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg, but the 22-year-old could end up costing as much as £85 million, with the Gunners currently unwilling to meet Leipzig’s financial demands.
Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, also told GiveMeSport this week that the forward’s potential exit this summer is far from a foregone conclusion.
“It can be next week, or next year, or in 3 years,” Basanovic said.
“Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig. I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.”
New updates are coming to light by the day, with journalist Duncan Castles now lifting the lid on something pretty unique that Sesko and his representatives are asking for to join Arsenal.
Benjamin Sesko makes “unusual” demand in Arsenal transfer talks
Speaking on The Transfers Podcast, Castles reports that Sesko wants a release clause in his possible Arsenal contract, explaining why this is a pretty special demand given the circumstances of this transfer.
“I understand that Sesko is asking for an exit clause on any deal he agrees with Arsenal, and he would like that release clause to be set at just 20% increase on whatever price they end up paying for him,” said Castles.
“It’s quite unusual to ask for something like that when you’re moving from, let’s say a second-tier European club to one that is perceived as a first-tier club and one of the most financially affluent clubs in European football and I think it’s unlikely that Arsenal would agree to a deal on those terms.”
There appears to be some way to go for the north Londoners to make any significant progress in negotiations for the ex-Red Bull Salzburg sensation, and taking into account his fairly modest goal return of 21 in all competitions last season, it is perhaps wise for Berta to consider turning more attention towards Gyokeres.
The Swede is believed to be very keen on a move to Arsenal (Fabrizio Romano), and his sensational goal return of 54 during 2024/2025 helped Sporting to their first domestic double in 20 years.
Gyokeres’ rumoured price tag comes in at around £80 million, according to The Times, so Arsenal would still need to stump up serious cash, but the 27-year-old may be worth that investment in the long run.
