Exclusive: Arsenal ‘leading the race’ for £58.7m monster amid favourable ‘gentleman’s agreement’ | OneFootball

Arsenal could conceivably go the distance in the Champions League and secure one major honour in 2024/25, if their seven-goal mauling of PSV was anything to go by.

Otherwise, the Gunners’ current limitations in the forward line looks set to damn any remaining hope they have of competing with Liverpool for the Premier League title.

The ongoing injury crisis – with the likes of Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus sidelined in the treatment room – will reasonably be blamed.

However, there are further questions, even with a fully fit and firing front three, as to whether Arsenal have the firepower capable of challenging for domestic honours.

Saka, Jesus, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli, for instance, don’t come close to Mo Salah’s goal contribution rate this term.

One man who could help solve Mikel Arteta’s central attacking woes, in RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, looks set to be available in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Benjamin Sesko is interested in the Premier League

(Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Christian Falk has confirmed that Arsenal are in pole position when it comes to the pursuit of the Bundesliga hotshot – a more ‘likely’ signing than Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

The North London-based outfit will, of course, have to pay a pretty fee – ‘upwards of €70m [£58.7m]’ owing to a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ – to have a shot at securing his services.

“Arsenal are leading the race for Benjamin Sesko. The player has signed a new contract until 2029,” the BILD reporter informed CaughtOffside in his exclusive Fact Files column.

“There are rumours in Germany that there’s a release clause included within this, but I can’t confirm this for certain. I’m aware he’s got a gentleman’s agreement with the club whereby he could leave if Leipzig receive an offer worth upwards of €70m.

“The Premier League is very interesting for Sesko. What I heard is that Arsenal are leading the race. Though, of course, the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool – not Manchester City, as they have Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush! – are also interested.

“We heard that Arsenal are the hottest club, at the moment, for Benjamin Sesko. Leipzig know that they will lose him in the upcoming summer window, which is exactly why they put him on a new contract (and a higher salary) in order to try and earn as much money as possible from his potential sale.”

Sesko has registered 22 goal contributions (17 goals and 5 assists) in all competitions across the 2024/25 campaign.

Arsenal could face further competition

If competition from the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool wasn’t enough, there’s every possibility Arteta’s side will have to fend off further grasping hands.

Sources close to CaughtOffside also understand that Manchester United have the Slovenian striker on their radar.

The Red Devils have a goals deficit of their own in the forward line to fix in the upcoming summer window, particularly now that Marcus Rashford’s future at Old Trafford looks far from certain.

Given that Arsenal are surely set to secure Champions League football for 2025/26, however, one could reasonably assume it would be comparatively more attractive for Benjamin Sesko to favour a move to the English capital.

That’s likewise without considering United’s ongoing financial struggles amid mounting debt.