Transfer Talks and Wage Frustrations
Arsenal’s pursuit of RB Leipzig’s 22-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko, their top target for the 2025/26 season, has hit a roadblock due to his wage demands, reported to be around £250,000 per week, per The Sun. Despite a verbal agreement with Leipzig for a transfer fee between €80-100m (£68.5-85.5m), negotiations over personal terms have frustrated Arsenal’s sporting director Andrea Berta, who is prepared to pay the £70m asking price. Sesko’s camp, seeking a significant payday, also demands a release clause, per The Transfers Podcast, risking a collapse of the deal. Arsenal may pivot to Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, who scored 54 goals in 2024/25 and favors a move to the Emirates, though his €100m (£85m) release clause is a hurdle.
Breaking a Seven-Year Transfer Rule
Sesko’s potential signing would mark Arsenal’s first Bundesliga acquisition since 2018, when Bernd Leno and Sokratis joined under Unai Emery, breaking a seven-year trend under Mikel Arteta. Arteta and former sporting director Edu prioritized Premier League-proven players like Declan Rice (£105m) and Kai Havertz (£65m), or those from La Liga (Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino) and Serie A (Riccardo Calafiori), citing faster adaptation. Sesko, with 39 goals and 8 assists in 87 Leipzig games, represents a shift, akin to the £60m Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang signing in 2018, due to his high potential (1.8 shots on target per game) despite limited Bundesliga experience.
Arsenal’s Five-Year Goal Drought
If Sesko joins, he’ll face pressure to end Arsenal’s five-year wait for a 20-goal Premier League striker, last achieved by Aubameyang (22 goals, 2019/20). No Arsenal player has surpassed 16 goals in a season since, with Havertz leading 2024/25 with 9, and Bukayo Saka hitting 16 in 2023/24. Sesko’s 13 Bundesliga goals in 2024/25 and 14 in 2023/24 raise concerns about his immediate impact, given the Premier League’s intensity. However, Arsenal’s improved service (2.1 big chances created per game) could elevate his output, unlike Havertz (0.24 goals per game) or Gabriel Jesus (0.19), per Arteta’s push for a world-class No. 9.
What’s Next?
Arsenal must resolve Sesko’s wage demands by September 1, 2025, to secure him before their Club World Cup debut against Al-Ain on June 24. Failure to agree could see Berta turn to Gyokeres or Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, though Leipzig’s lack of European football may force a compromise on their £70m valuation. Sesko’s agent, Elivis Basanovic, insists on respecting Leipzig, denying pressure tactics, but fans on X are split, with some praising Sesko’s 6ft 5in frame and others favoring Gyokeres’ proven scoring. Arsenal’s Premier League opener against Manchester United on August 17, 2025, looms, with Arteta’s squad needing a striker to end their title drought after three second-place finishes.
