Arsenal likely regret £50m striker decision that ‘would’ve seen deal struck’ for top target
Arsenal remain locked in talks with Sporting CP over a move for Viktor Gyokeres after being priced out of a transfer for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, who could’ve already solved the issue
Mikel Arteta will most likely be ruing Arsenal’s decision to not sign Benjamin Sekso last summer as his pursuit of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres looks to have stalled. Arteta has been chasing a goalscorer for over a year, with a great deal of effort made made in order to bring RB Leipzig striker Sesko to the Emirates Stadium.
The Gunners’ woes in front of goal were a major factor in costing them the Premier League title last season. Injuries to key personnel up top ensured Liverpool stole a march on Arteta’s side and sealed their 20th top-flight crown.
With a swoop for Gyokeres now looking at an impasse due to a wide gap in valuations for the prolific forward, Arsenal may well be casting a regretful eye back toward the extensive work that was made to sign Sesko over the last 18 months.
Sesko, 22, ultimately decided to stay at the German side last summer as he believed remaining with Leipzig would be best for his development. However, The Independent suggested a deal could have been struck for just £50million (€58m).
The new deal he subsequently signed, and the 21 goals he scored in all competitions last season, pushed his price up to between £69m (€80m) and £86m (€100m), forcing Arsenal to pull the plug on Sesko and pivot toward Gyokeres, 27. Yet, with Sporting now reportedly commanding £60m (€70m) up front from the north London club, with £8m (€9.2m) in add-ons to follow, there will be a brutal reality check for Arteta that Arsenal could have acquiesced to Leipzig’s demands last summer.
This would not have only afforded Arsenal’s Spanish boss the goalscorer he so desires for all of last season, but also saved the club a pretty penny, with Sporting’s asking price for Gyokeres toppling that of Leipzig’s 2024 demand for Sesko by some margin.
A move for Sesko could now be reignited, but may prove difficult with the Slovenian star perfectly aware that any move for him is at the expense of a failed swoop for Gyokeres. However, he was always their first-choice target.
Arteta hopes to see a striker added to his squad before Arsenal fly to Singapore for a pre-season tour of Asia on July 19. Swedish international Gyokeres has made it clear that he wishes to join the Gunners this summer and he has no intention of playing for the Portuguese side again.
While the likes of Manchester United have expressed an interest, Arsenal became front runners to land the ex-Coventry City hotshot’s signature. Gunners’ sporting director Andrea Berta was recently in Portugal to try and forge an agreement, but Portuguese outlet Record has said that negotiators have now left Lisbon with the two clubs struggling to settle on a fee.
Personal terms are already in place on a five-year deal for Gyokeres, and the add-ons in the deal relate to goal and trophy bonuses. He has scored a staggering 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting since August 2023.
Sesko, meanwhile, has scored 39 and bagged eight assists in 87 games for Leipzig. Arsenal have signed Martín Zubimendi from Real Sociedad and Kepa Arrizabalaga from Chelsea so far this summer, with Brentford captain Christian Norgaard expected to be next.