Arsenal transfer target Benjamin Sesko's Man Utd rejection explained as £55m deal eyed

RB Leipzig wonderkid Benjamin Sesko revealed why he chose a move to Germany over Manchester United, with Arsenal reportedly keen on bringing the Slovenian striker to the Emirates this summer.

Coming from a successful spell at Red Bull Salzburg, several of Europe’s top football clubs were vying for his attention. However, Sesko favoured joining Leipzig, mirroring other players’ decisions due to the shared ownership between the two sides.

Maintaining his impressive form, buzz has continued to grow around Sesko regarding a significant transfer this summer, with Arsenal one likely destination. The 21-year-old striker has scored 18 goals for two consecutive years and believes the style of play in Bundesliga complimented him better, rather than a move to Old Trafford.

Justifying his decision to join Leizpig, Sesko said, “The thing is, I wasn’t really involved in these kinds of conversations, but I think it was better to come here.”

He also emphasised on his desire to stay in familiar territory by stating, “It was very important for me to go to a place that plays a similar style of football. I already knew what I had to do and didn’t have to go through a whole learning process again.”

Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, has been spotted attending Arsenal matches this season and the young striker could provide refreshing firepower for the Gunners’ attack.

Despite Kai Havertz leading the line under Mikel Arteta, it’s anticipated that Arsenal will be eager to add a potent forward like Sesko this summer.

Leipzig are ready to part ways with their player this summer, provided they can negotiate a favourable deal in the region of £55million. Despite only having him for a year, the German club’s strategy often involves selling their top players for a significant profit, and Sesko could be next in line.

If Arsenal fails to secure a deal for Sesko, they have other targets in mind. Ajax’s Brian Brobbey and Brighton’s Evan Ferguson are reportedly also on their radar. They’ve decided not to pursue Ivan Toney or Newcastle’s Alexander Isak.

Last summer, when it was apparent that United needed a new No 9, they ended up signing Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta in a substantial deal. Harry Kane was considered, but the club chose not to compete financially with Bayern Munich and instead focused on the young Dane after Sesko’s snub.

The club anticipated that Hojlund would require some time to adjust. It took him several months to score his first league goal, and started the FA Cup final victory over Manchester City at Wembley on the bench.