Arsenal are now preparing a very serious £84m offer for a striker, with Andrea Berta recently holding talks over a potential deal, according to a report.
Berta driving Arsenal's attacking summer transfer plans
Berta is approaching his first transfer window since being appointed as sporting director, and the Italian has grand plans, which could lay the groundwork for the Gunners to finally win the Premier League title next season.
The 53-year-old is personally keen on signing Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, who would be extremely interested in a move to the Emirates Stadium this summer, while Real Madrid star Rodrygo is believed to be at the top of his wishlist.
Talks have been opened over a deal for the Brazilian, who could join alongside RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, with Berta now in concrete discussions over a deal for the Slovenian, who Mikel Arteta is believed to be a big admirer of.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta looks dejected after the match
There has now been a new update on Arsenal's pursuit of Sesko, which suggests the talks may have gone very well, with a report from Spain revealing they are now preparing a very serious €100m (£84m) offer for the centre-forward.
Berta has been in direct talks with RB Leipzig over a summer deal, and there is a feeling Sesko would be interested in becoming a part of Arteta's project, despite interest from a number of other European clubs.
The Gunners are prepared to go all out to win the race for the 21-year-old, but Leipzig are in no rush to sell, with the 21-year-old under contract until 2029. However, there have been other claims suggesting there is a €80m summer release clause, so Arsenal could be willing to go above and beyond for Sesko following the claim from Spain.
Arsenal players pose for a team group photo before the match Related
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A return to north London for him now beckons.
"Extremely quick" Sesko could be excellent signing
The lack of a centre-forward has arguably been costly for the Gunners this season, with both Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus spending lengthy periods on the sidelines, and a new striker could be the final piece of the jigsaw for Arteta.
Manchester City brought in Erling Haaland back in the summer of 2022, which enabled Pep Guardiola's side to finally get over the line in the Champions League, and there are indications the Leipzig star could have a similar impact on the Gunners.
The "extremely quick" forward, who has been compared to Haaland in the past, enjoyed an impressive 2024-25 season, regularly contributing goals and assists for Leipzig across all competitions.
Competition Appearances Goals Assists
Bundesliga 33 13 5
DFB-Pokal 4 4 1
Champions League 8 4 0
That said, Jamie Carragher has suggested that whichever striker Arsenal sign may remain behind Havertz in the pecking order, given how important the German is to Arteta's play-style.
However, even top coaches have to make tweaks sometimes, with Guardiola managing to accommodate Haaland, and Arsenal changing their tactics to suit Sesko may enable them to finally win the Premier League title next season.