Arsenal hold concrete initial talks to sign Bundesliga star in the summer: Reports

Arsenal have reportedly commenced talks to land RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko this summer. The Gunners apparently failed in their pursuit of the Slovenian in the last two transfer windows.

Sesko, 21, is coming off a fine season with Leipzig, contributing 21 goals and six assists in 45 games across competitions. Thirteen of those goals and five assists came in 33 outings in the Bundesliga, where Zsolt Low's side finished seventh, a whopping 31 points behind runaway champions Bayern Munich (82).

The striker also netted four times apiece in the UEFA Champions League and DFB-Pokal. He's contracted to Leipzig till 2029 but has caught the attention of multiple clubs, including the Gunners, who have been in his pursuit for a while.

As per transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Mikel Arteta's side's efforts could bear fruit, as the striker is set to leave Leipzig this summer, with the Emirates emerging as one of his likely destinations.

Expand Tweet

The Gunners missed the services of key attackers like Bukayo Saka, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus at various points in the recently-concluded season. Nevertheless, they registered a third-straight second-placed Premier League finish and also returned to the UEFA Champions League semis for the first time in 16 years.

"We wanted to finish with positivity" - Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looked back fondly on the season following a 2-1 win at Southampton on the final day of the league campaign last weekend. Kieran Tierney and Martin Odegaard scored either side of Ross Stewart's effort.

However, the title race was long over before the final matchday, unlike the previous season, when the Gunners were in with a shout to end their two-decade old league title drought. Arteta said after the win at St. Mary's (as per the BBC):

"We wanted to finish with that positivity, that good atmosphere and vibe. We had to say goodbye to a few players and I think they deserved that to happen in a nice environment."

On the club's ambitions for the summer and the upcoming new campaign, the Spaniard added:

"Josh (Kroenke) has been very clear in the direction and ambition we have. We're going to try and see what we can do, make very subtle decisions, and respect what has taken us this far.

"There's not much improvement. We've finished second three times, reached the Champions League semi-finals. There's that little percentage we need to nail."

Arsenal last won the Premier League in 2004 when they went unbeaten under legendary manager Arsene Wenger. Since then, they have finished second five times.

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 18 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

Know More

Edited by Bhargav