Benjamin Sesko's huge Arsenal request, worrying five-year curse, transfer rule breach

While rivals Liverpool and Manchester City have already made their mark on the transfer window, Arsenal are yet to make a signing ahead of the 2025/26 season.

The Gunners are coming off a disappointing campaign in which they finished second in the Premier League for the third successive season. Injuries during the second half of the campaign and a lack of clinical forwards were key factors, and it seems manager Mikel Arteta is eager to sign a top striker this summer in an attempt to secure some long-overdue silverware.

Arsenal have been in talks over deals for Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres in recent weeks, both of whom reportedly want to join the Gunners.

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Sporting CP's Gyokeres, with his impressive tally of 54 goals this season, is the more prolific choice of the two. However, Sesko, being five years younger at 22 and playing in a tougher league with RB Leipzig, is believed to be Arteta's preferred choice.

Last week, German publication Bild reported that a verbal agreement has been reached between Arsenal and the Bundesliga side for Sesko, with rumours suggesting the fee could be anywhere between £68.5m and £85.5m. Leipzig's failure to qualify for European football, which has left them in need of funds, could impact the Slovenian's price tag.

With the clubs in agreement, the next step is for Arsenal to finalise personal terms with Sesko, who was linked with a move to the Gunners last summer but chose to stay in Leipzig for another year. Now, football.london brings you three key talking points surrounding potentially the next big-name striker to make his mark in north London.

Breaking Arsenal's five-year curse

If he ends up at Arsenal, Sesko will face huge pressure to perform immediately, which may be deemed unfair given his relatively young age and the difference in quality between the Premier League and Bundesliga. The fans at the Emirates Stadium are desperate for a world-class striker who can convert the many chances they squandered this season.

It's generally deemed that 20 goals is a good benchmark for a top Premier League striker. However, Sesko would need to become the first Arsenal player in five years to reach that tally, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang last achieving it with 22 goals in the 2019/2020 season.

No player has managed more than 16 in a single season in any of the campaigns since then. Kai Havertz led the way for Arsenal with nine goals this term, while Bukayo Saka scored 16 in the 2023/24 season. Martin Odegaard notched 15 the previous year, with Saka on 11 and Alexandre Lacazette on 13 in the two years before that.

Sesko only netted 13 times in the 2024/25 season and 14 in the 2023/24 campaign in the Bundesliga. He will be hoping that improved service can help him make a significant impact in his debut season in England.

Seven-year transfer rule

The pursuit of Sesko could be seen as a deviation from Arsenal's usual strategy since Arteta took over in December 2019. His signing would represent the first time they have recruited a player from the Bundesliga since 2018.

Under Arteta and former sporting director Edu, the Premier League was the preferred shopping destination. As seen with David Raya, Kai Havertz,Gabriel Jesus, Declan Rice and Ben White, Arsenal have frequently sought players with experience in England, with Premier League-proven players needing less time to adjust.

There's a general consensus that those from Spain's La Liga also fare well in England’s top flight, with Arteta utilising his connections in his homeland to bring in the likes of Thomas Partey, Martin Odegaard, Mikel Merino and now reportedly Martin Zubimendi. Even Italy’s Serie A appears to be highly rated by the Spaniard, who has shopped there for Riccardo Calafiori, Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jakub Kiwior.

However, for whatever reason, he has chosen to avoid signing players from Germany. The Gunners' last first team players signed from the Bundesliga came in 2018 with Bernd Leno and Sokratis seven summers ago, under Unai Emery.

Yet, the pursuit of Sesko is more comparable to Arsenal's £60m swoop for Aubameyang earlier that year, given their similar positions and lofty potential.

Game-changing request

Arsenal are reportedly becoming increasingly frustrated with Sesko over his wage demands as they look to secure a deal for their primary summer target. It's claimed that negotiations are not progressing smoothly due to his desired salary, with Sesko's camp looking to secure a hefty pay day.

But, as reported by The Sun, Sesko's game-changing demands could prove risky and backfire. The north Londoners might well withdraw from the deal altogether, with sporting director Andrea Berta able to fall back on the negotiations he has been conducting with Gyokeres’ team instead.

It is understood that Arsenal are Gyokeres' preferred destination this summer ahead of Manchester United, where the Swede's former boss Ruben Amorim is currently at the helm.