Arsenal are reportedly stepping up their interest in RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko amid rival interest from Manchester United and Chelsea.
Arsenal step up interest in striker Sesko
Chelsea & Man Utd keen on RB Leipzig star
Slovenian may be available for £42.5m
WHAT HAPPENED?
The Gunners have been linked with the 20-year-old for a couple of months now, with the Slovenia international understood to have a £42.5 million ($53m) release clause. Following the north London outfit’s Champions League exit on Wednesday, the Evening Standard claims manager Mikel Arteta wants to add more ‘firepower’ to his squad. However, United and Chelsea are also keen on recruiting the 6ft 5in forward – who has scored 13 goals this season.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
While Arsenal have scored 75 goals in 32 Premier League games this season, a tally only bettered by Manchester City’s 76, they do not have a clinical striker. Winger Bukayo Saka is their top scorer with 18 goals in all competitions but strikers Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, plus false nine Kai Havertz, only have 24 goals between them. Perhaps having more of a focal point in attack, such as Sesko, is what Arsenal need to take them to the next level.
DID YOU KNOW?
Sesko joined Red Bull Salzburg at the age of 16 in 2019 and went onto score 29 goals in 79 matches for the Austrian Bundesliga side. The striker, who had two seasons on loan at Austrian second-tier outfit FC Liefering between 2019-2021, signed for Leipzig in 2023 for a fee in the region of £20.5m ($25.5m).
WHAT NEXT?
Arsenal, who are two points behind Premier League leaders Manchester City with six games remaining, will look to bounce back from their Champions League quarter-final loss to Bayern Munich when they travel to Wolves on Saturday.