Arsenal schedule talks over €65m striker as they look to pip rivals: report

Arsenal’s desire to sign a new striker in the summer has been well-documented in recent weeks. 

The club have just two recognised out-and-out centre forwards on the books in Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, but the pair accounted for just nine of the Gunners’ 89 Premier League goals this season and have both been linked with moves away from the Emirates. 

A new frontman is therefore at the top of Mikel Arteta’s summer shopping list, with a host of leading strikers from across Europe being linked. 

RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko is one player that the Gunners are said to be monitoring and according to Teamtalk, Arsenal have moved to schedule talks with Leipzig ‘in the next few days’ to thrash out a deal over payment terms. 

The Slovenian forward is believed to have a €65million release clause - which has jumped up €15million since the January window - in his deal with the Bundesliga club that runs until June 2028.

Arsenal are said to see this as a fair price for the 20-year-old but will face competition from Chelsea, who see him as a cheaper alternative for Lazio’s Victor Osimhen, while Serie A duo Napoli and AC Milan have also been linked. 

Sesko has netted 17 goals for Leipzig this season and is set to lead the line for England’s group stage opponents Slovenia at Euro 2024 this summer.

The report adds that Arsenal are continuing to look at Dutch forward Joshua Zirkzee and Ivan Toney, but are believed to have ruled out a move for Sporting’s Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres.

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