Benjamin Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, has suggested that the 21-year-old Slovenian striker is likely to stay at RB Leipzig this month despite increasing speculation linking him to Arsenal.
The Gunners are reportedly considering Sesko as a potential replacement for Gabriel Jesus, who suffered a devastating ACL injury. Arsenal had identified Sesko as a primary attacking target last summer, but he opted to remain in the Bundesliga.
Speaking to Slovenian TV channel Arena Sport, Basanovic commented on Sesko’s suitability for Arsenal:”I think you should ask Mr. Arteta about that. But I think Sesko could suit many clubs because he has different football skills. He can play alone in attack, with two strikers, a little further back—he has height, speed, and technical ability.”
When asked directly if Arsenal had made contact, Basanovic remained tight-lipped, replying:”I can’t answer that question for you.”
For now, it appears Sesko will continue his development in Leipzig, but interest from Arsenal could test that resolve.
Sesko’s long-term Leipzig contract runs until the summer of 2029 and does not contain a release clause. While Arsenal retain an interest, it’s understood they are of the opinion he is not available for transfer this month and are instead exploring other potential market opportunities.
Basanovic also revealed that a future move will only be considered if it is beneficial for the player’s development. Collectively, following much deliberation, the attacker and his entourage decided against a Premier League switch prior to Euro 2024 when it wasn’t just Arsenal that were at the table.
Basanovic explained: “Benjamin Sesko is really shining, I think this is a phase of development. I think we have already shown in the past that we are sticking to the development path, that we are not looking at current form.
Arsenal are in the market for a forward after losing Gabriel Jesus to a serious knee injury ( Image: David Price/Arsenal FC via Getty Images)
“Our decision regarding the next step, the transfer, has never and will not stem from current form, but from who can offer Sesko the best platform for his development.
“We can see that our decision was correct, six months later he is already a better striker than he was last season. What he lacks is experience. We must not forget that he is only 21 years old, so we did not want him to go to the Premier League in the summer. There were concrete options, but we consciously decided to stay in the Bundesliga to give him time to progress and develop into a better striker.”
When quizzed on what kind of price it would take Leipzig to consider a sale, Sesko’s representative was firm in his response, adding: “I don’t think Leipzig would be satisfied with any compensation at the moment, Leipzig does not want to sell Benjamin Sesko because they really value him immensely.”