Fabrizio Romano drops huge update in Arsenal's Benjamin Sesko pursuit

Arsenal are making their move for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that the Gunners have opened 'concrete talks'.

The club's inactivity in regards to signing a number nine eventually came back to bite them during a frustrating 2024/25 campaign, as injuries to Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz forced Mikel Arteta to utilise Mikel Merino as a makeshift centre-forward.

Such injury setbacks eventually caught up with the Gunners, who finished a distant second behind Liverpool in the Premier League and were beaten in the Champions League semi-finals by Paris Saint-Germain off the back of a profligate display in Paris.

A new striker won't alleviate all of the Gunners' issues with Arteta at the helm, but an alternate source of goals is doubtlessly needed. They require a reliable marksman, and the club seemingly believe Sesko will evolve into exactly that.

Arsenal open 'concrete talks' for priority striker target Benjamin Sesko

Andrea Berta has cast his net wide over the striker market. The likes of Alexander Isak, Viktor Gyokeres, Ollie Watkins and, tenuously, Julian Alvarez have been linked, with the new sporting director reportedly pushing a move for Sporting CP hitman Gyokeres.

However, Fabrizio Romano understands that Arsenal are going again for Sesko after missing out last summer and in January. The transfer guru writes that 'concrete talks' have been opened in regard to a deal, with the Slovenian international all but guaranteed to leave Leipzig this summer despite extending his contract before Euro 2024.

Arteta, who loves a big body up top, is particularly bullish on Sesko, but a recent report from The Telegraph (via TNT Sports) states that Leipzig have placed a whopping price tag worth £92.5m on the striker's head. If Arsenal have decided that the 21-year-old, who scored 27 Bundesliga goals over the previous two seasons, will be their number nine for the long haul, they'll want to negotiate a far cheaper deal.

This is a mammoth decision for the Gunners, and huge pressure will be placed on the shoulders of whoever arrives to lead Arsenal's line from the start of 2025/26. Trusting a 21-year-old with such responsibility, no matter the fee, is a big gamble.

However, Sesko is hugely talented and the sort of striker Arteta loves. The fact he's not yet the finished article will only embolden the Spaniard, who'll be keen to oversee the Slovenian's rise to superstardom in north London.

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