Arsenal have been thrown a curveball in the race to sign Benjamin Sesko. The 21-year-old striker was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates Stadium in the summer, but he decided to pen a contract extension at RB Leipzig instead.
football.london understands that the Gunners were interested in signing Sesko, but talks never reached an advanced stage. The Slovenia international wanted to resolve his future before Euro 2024, but the Gunners couldn't commit to a deal with Eddie Nketiah still at the club.
Despite missing out, football.london understands that the North Londoners have continued to monitor Sesko's progress – and they remain keen on securing his signature. His performances certainly haven't gone under the radar this season, with Chelsea also said to be keeping tabs.
football.london understands that the Blues were interested in the Slovenian during the January transfer window, but RB Leipzig were unwilling to sell. All options regarding a potential deal were explored, but the German outfit refused to let Sesko go.
Sesko, who sees his contract at the Red Bull Arena expire in June 2029, has featured 27 times in the Bundesliga this season, scoring 11 goals and providing five assists. Playing a key role in the side, he's helped RB Leipzig climb to sixth in the table.
The Slovenian has been widely regarded as a cheaper alternative to Alexander Isak, who looks unlikely to leave Newcastle United in the summer. But, according to the CIES Football Observatory, Sesko currently has a greater market value.
The Sweden international has been priced at €106m (£92m), whereas Sesko has been valued at €126m (£109m). Andrea Berta, who will be under pressure to sign a top striker this summer, has been given a harsh reality check with hundreds of millions – €232m (£201m) to be exact – at stake.
The new Arsenal sporting director must no decide whether to hold out for Isak, potentially pay over the odds for Sesko or take his business elsewhere. Nevertheless, during the January transfer window, Elvis Basanovic was asked if his client has what it takes to play for the Gunners.
Speaking on Slovenian TV channel Arena Sport, Sesko's agent said: "I think you should ask Mr. Arteta about that. But I think Sesko could suit many clubs because he has different football skills. He can play alone in attack, with two strikers, a little further back, he has height, speed, technical speed."
Basanovic then added: "Benjamin Sesko is really shining, I think this is a phase of development. I think we have already shown in the past that we are sticking to the development path, that we are not looking at current form.
"Our decision regarding the next step, the transfer, has never and will not stem from current form, but from who can offer Sesko the best platform for his development.
"We can see that our decision was correct, six months later he is already a better striker than he was last season. What he lacks is experience. We must not forget that he is only 21 years old, so we did not want him to go to the Premier League in the summer.
"There were concrete options, but we consciously decided to stay in the Bundesliga to give him time to progress and develop into a better striker."
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