Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko is seriously frustrated by RB Leipzig’s stance over his potential transfer fee, TBR Football can exclusively reveal.
Arsenal have been doing work on Benjamin Sesko for more than a year now, a player who the club’s recruitment team know extremely well.
Sesko rejected Arsenal last summer but the striker is now ready to move to north London, providing that a deal can be struck.
The Slovenian scored 21 goals in 45 games for Leipzig last season, and whilst some doubt the 22-year-old’s ability to make an immediate impact at the Emirates, that’s a lot more goals than anyone scored in Arsenal colours last term.
However, there is now reason to be concerned for Sesko in pursuit of a move to Arsenal, with Leipzig standing very firm on their valuation.
Arsenal reluctant to pay Benjamin Sesko’s increased asking price
Graeme Bailey – TBR Football chief correspondent, understands that Sesko is ‘hugely frustrated’ with Leipzig right now.
Sesko’s team believed that there was an agreement in place ahead of this summer — albeit a verbal or gentleman’s one.
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Photo by Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images
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The striker’s camp believed they had an agreement to move for less than €70m (£59m), and that is true.
However, the German club are now insisting on an overall deal worth €80m (£67m), and the player believes that is not what he was previously told.
Sesko has a flexible release clause which does equate to around £67m overall, but as stated, the striker believes they had agreed to less.
Either way, Arsenal are speaking to their German counterparts about how a deal would be made up, but as it stands, sources have confirmed that the Gunners are ‘reluctant’ to meet Leipzig’s valuation.
Benjamin Sesko is worried about Arsenal’s interest in Viktor Gyokeres
Of course, Sesko isn’t the only striker on sporting director Andrea Berta’s radar — Arsenal have also spoken to Viktor Gyokeres at Sporting CP.
And although Sesko is now in line as Arsenal’s first choice, he is aware that the Gunners have already gone some way down the road with Gyokeres too.
As a result, it would not require a major change of direction for Arsenal to turn their attention fully towards Gyokeres.
That is a major concern for Sesko, who is clearly keen to now take the opportunity to join Arsenal, an option that came at the wrong time last summer.
At this point, Sesko has not agitated for a move at Leipzig, but he has made his concerns very clear and he wants a deal agreed to join Mikel Arteta’s side.