Arsenal in 'concrete talks' over £90m signing: report

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta (Image credit: Getty Images)

Arsenal had an average season by the standards set before the campaign

Admittedly they finished second and reached the semi-finals of both the Carabao Cup and the Champions League, but ultimately they fell short of any major success.

While injuries had their part to play, Arsenal were left without a recognised striker for several months, and it hampered their efforts to add some silverware to their trophy cabinet significantly.

€80 million striker wanted by Arsenal

Bukayo Saka of Arsenal is consoled by Mikel Arteta, Manager of Arsenal, at full-time following the team's defeat and subsequent elimination after the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal FC at Parc des Princes on May 07, 2025 in Paris, France.

Mikel Arteta consoles Bukayo Saka following Champions League elimination (Image credit: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

It is therefore no surprise that a priority position for the Gunners this season is striker, with several targets linked.

Viktor Gyokeres, who is ranked at no.6 in FourFourTwo's list of the best strikers in the world right now, appears to be the name on everyones lips after his sensational form in Portugal this summer, but it appears the price point may be to high, leading the powers that be at Arsenal to look elsewhere.

Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres poses with his medal after the Portuguese League football match between Sporting CP and Vitoria Guimaraes SC at Jose Alvalade stadium in Lisbon, on May 17, 2025. Sporting Lisbon defended their Portuguese crown today with a 2-0 win over Guimaraes to hold off rivals Benfica on the final day of the Primeira Liga season.

Arsenal target Viktor Gyokeres poses with his medal after wining the Portuguese League (Image credit: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP via Getty Images)

Arsenal's interest in Benjamin Sesko has been apparent for a while but it seems they are now ready to act on it.

The 21-year-old looks certain to leave RB Leipzig this summer – having left him out of their summer tour squad – and there are a number of clubs queuing up for his signature.

German journalist Florian Plettenberg is suggesting that talks regarding a possible payment structure have already begun between Arsenal and Leipzig, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano backing up those links himself. There are, however, some doubts on whether they can afford any deal, with Sesko's release clause set at €80 million.

It below the €100 million believed to be in Gyokeres' contract, but may prove to much of a gamble for Arsenal.

Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Bundesliga match between RB Leipzig and FC Augsburg at Red Bull Arena on September 28, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.

(Image credit: Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

Across all competitions, Sesko scored 21 goals last season, more than the 15 by Kai Haverz who finished the season as Arsenal's top scorer.

In FourFourTwo's opinion if they can strike a deal close to his market value of €65 million according to Transfermarkt, it would represent very good business with Arsenal. Havertz may be allowed to drop back into a more familiar attacking midfield role and pressure will come off Gabriel Jesus to stay fit.

FourFourTwo understands that keeping Sesko is incredibly hard for Leipzig with no Champions League football and that the club are accepting that Slovenian will probably leave soon.

Ewan Gennery
Freelance writer

Ewan is a freelance writer and social media manager who has worked for The Athletic, GOAL, 90min and OneFootball. From Gelsenkirchen to Riyadh, he has covered some of the biggest games in football in his three years in the industry.