Arsenal lead Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to sign RB Leizpig’s Benjamin Sesko this summer, according to a report.
Many of Europe’s elite clubs are on the hunt for a new striker and Sesko is a name that has regularly popped up in transfer gossip columns for months.
90min revealed in April the 20-year-old could be on the move this summer as Leipzig are prepared to sanction a sale as long as they receive a fair market rate fee, with Arsenal, Chelsea and United all interested. However, Sesko’s release clause has risen from £42m to somewhere in the region of £64m after triggering targets in his contract at the end of a fine debut season in Germany in which he’s scored 17 goals in 41 games.
The Telegraph now report that Arsenal are ‘in pole position’ to sign Sesko, though are yet to decide whether they should firm up their interest.
Sesko, a natural nine who would bring further height at 6’5, differs to Arsenal’s current striker options – Kai Havertz is naturally an attacking midfielder, while Gabriel Jesus is more mobile but has struggled in front of goal this season.
Though Arsenal are monitoring Sesko and could yet make a move for him, he is not the only striker on their radar, with Bologna’s Joshua Zirkzee and Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres also of interest.
Arsenal are looking to offload several players in order to raise funds to spend on incomings. Aaron Ramsdale, Eddie Nketiah, Emile Smith Rowe, Kieran Tierney, Nuno Tavares, Albert Sambi Lokonga and Reiss Nelson could all be sold. They have also already agreed to pay £27m to Brentford for the permanent signing of David Raya having stumped up £3m for an initial loan.
90min previously reported that in addition to a striker, Arsenal want to bring in a midfielder, with Newcastle United’s Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi on their shortlist.