Arsenal continue to move ambitiously in the transfer market as Mikel Arteta looks to strengthen a squad that, despite being close to the title, still has shortcomings. The board’s attention is focused on strengthening the attack, an area where they have not found the necessary level of forcefulness at key moments of the season.
The doubts with Kai Havertz as a centre-forward have been persistent, and Gabriel Jesus, despite his commitment, has not been able to put up convincing numbers. In this context, the club has turned its attention to a young striker with projection and a solid present: Benjamin Sesko.
Should Arsenal meet 22-year-old’s wage demands to secure their priority striker target?
According to The Sun, Arsenal consider Sesko as their main attacking target this summer. The 22-year-old Slovenian striker has shone for RB Leipzig, scoring regularly and displaying a powerful, mobile forward profile with the ability to finish in a variety of ways.
The English club have been working for weeks on a possible signing, but no significant progress has yet been made. The player’s salary demands are beginning to generate unrest in the sporting management, while Andrea Berta, in charge of the operation, is negotiating without obtaining the desired progress. Leipzig, for their part, are willing to sell if the £70m they are asking for their player is paid.
Opinion:
Arteta knows he needs more in attack if Arsenal are to become champions. Giving in to Sesko’s financial terms may seem risky, but not paying for what is needed could be even more expensive. The player is young, with room for improvement, and has already performed well in a league as tactical as the Bundesliga. If the club considers him to be the ideal striker, it would be inconsistent to go short on salary. Of course, the economic balance is important, but an ambitious project needs firm decisions.
Regarding the transfer price, 70 million is not a small figure. But if you put it in context, the market has been constantly inflating prices, and Sesko is not a gamble without a basis. His profile is a far cry from that of Havertz and Jesus. He has more physical presence, attacks space better and is more instinctive in the box. If he arrives, he will not only increase internal competition but could offer a sharper version of the attack Arsenal have unsuccessfully sought.
However, if talks remain stalled and the player’s entourage do not budge, Arteta and Edu will have to assess how far this move is worth pursuing. There are other strikers in Europe with similar conditions who may be more accessible. Insisting on Sesko makes sense only if the conditions do not break the wage structure of the team. Because the important thing is not to sign for the sake of signing, but to maintain the coherence of the project without giving in to the wear and tear generated by a negotiation that is not progressing.
