Arsenal handed boost in chase for key target as club reduce asking price - Reports

Arsenal have reportedly been handed a boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. Leipzig are said to have reduced the asking price for the attacker after failing to find enough potential suitors.

As per a report in BILD, RB Leipzig are now ready to sell Sesko for €70 million this summer. They were previously holding out for a bid between €80-100 million, but have now decided to lower it.

Reports earlier this year claimed that Sesko was pushing the Bundesliga club to lower the asking price as he wanted to leave. His agent, Elvis Basanovic, was quick to shut down all rumors and said (via METRO):

"This is far from truth. We respect RB Leipzig and I am 100% convinced RB Leipzig will also respect our decision for the next step when we decide to do it. 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. I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests but no matter what, I believe in football world should be more respect. So that's why we do things in the right way or we don't do them. It's very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated."

Arsenal are keen to sign Sesko this summer, but had to move to other options after RB Leipzig did not lower their demands. The Gunners were reportedly looking to bring in Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, but could shift their focus back on the Slovenian now.

Arsenal told to sign PL star over Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko

Football pundit Jermaine Pennant, during a conversation with AceOdds earlier this year, claimed that Arsenal should sign Ollie Watkins in the summer. He admitted that Alexander Isak was the best option but unaffordable, and that the Aston Villa star was better than Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko.

He said:

"Everyone wants Isak, that's obvious. But if they can't splash £150m on him, then go and get Watkins. He's got an eye for goal, he's got pace, he's an international and I think he would work well in Arteta's system. He can link up play. He's got it all, to be fair to him, and it'll be cut-price compared to Isak. Watkins is a proven Premier League player, so he's a better bet than someone like Gyökeres. We've seen Darwin Nunez light it up in Portugal and struggle in England."

The Gunners tried to sign Ollie Watkins in the January window. However, they saw their bid rejected by Aston Villa, who had agreed a deal to sell Jhon Duran to Al Nassr.