Arsenal's £70m move for RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko 'hits stumbling block as Gunners grow frustrated' in attempts to strengthen in attack

Daily Mail​

4 hours ago

Arsenal are reportedly growing frustrated with Benjamin Sesko over the RB Leipzig star's wage demands.
The Gunners are keen to bring in Sesko, 22, this summer, with the £70million-rated Slovenian striker having been tracked by the club for a long time.
Mikel Arteta 's side had offers rejected for Sesko last summer and in January and he is their No 1 target as they look to strengthen in attack having come second in the Premier League for the third consecutive season.
Arsenal are also eyeing-up Sporting Lisbon's Victor Gyokeres, who is valued at around £60m, but for now the Swede is viewed as an alternative to Sesko if a move can't be completed.
And, according to The Sun, Arsenal's hopes of bringing in Sesko have hit a stumbling block in regards to his wage demands.
The report claims that Sesko is asking for a deal at a much higher level than the Gunners were planning to offer.
This could hamper any potential transfer, and it is an issue that may force a rethink from Arsenal's perspective.
Gyokeres is said to realise he is not Arsenal's first choice but he is still desperate for a move to the Premier League following a stunning season where he scored 53 goals and added 13 assists in just 52 games for Sporting.
The Portuguese side are willing to sell him, and the Gunners and their sporting director Andrea Berta are keen to make sure they don't miss out on both of their targets.
Meanwhile, amid the speculation over Sesko, who has been linked to several top European clubs and also rejected an offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal, the 22-year-old's agent Elvis Basanovic this week provided an update on the situation.
'Even if there may be - or will be - a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig,' he told GiveMeSport.
'I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.
'I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests but no matter what, I believe in football world should be more respect. So that's why we do things in the right way or we don't do them.
'It's very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated.'
Basanovic also highlighted what a special talent his client is and hinted that they are relaxed about his future.
'[Sesko's] numbers at his age compared to some strikers with already great careers at his age are confirming my words,' he added.
'He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club, a special project with a special coach.'
Elsewhere, the report also claimed that Arsenal are set to face a double blow in the transfer market, with Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi favouring a transfer to Liverpool instead of moving to the Emirates.
The England defender has just one year left on his deal at Selhurst Park and has been linked with several clubs including Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham, Chelsea and Newcastle.
However, with the World Cup coming up next summer, Guehi, who has won 23 England caps, is believed to be desperate for regular football.
And the report claims he is unsure that would be the case under Arteta, with William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes his undisputed starting partnership.