Arsenal have abandoned their pursuit of a new striker after being rejected by Benjamin Sesko.
The Gunners had previously prioritised a move for the Red Bull Leipzig striker. They were considering activating the £55million release clause written into his contract with the German side.
Arsenal weren’t the only side interested though. Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea were also keeping a close eye on Sesko. It now appears none of them will be signing him. The Slovenian striker has penned a new deal with Leipzig until 2029.
And that has forced Arsenal to change tactic heading into the summer transfer window. According to The Telegraph, a new striker is now not among their priorities for the coming months.
Mikel Arteta is instead keen to add to his wide options before the start of the 2024/25 campaign. The Gunners have already been linked with a host of wingers including Sporting Lisbon star Marcus Edwards, Wolves ’ Pedro Neto and Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao.
Away from a winger, the Gunners are also keen to add to their midfield options Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi is a long-term target of the North London side.
A number of current Arsenal players could be sold in order to fund the club’s summer spending. Aaron Ramsdale and Emile Smith Rowe are among the candidates to leave after falling out of contention last term.
Eddie Nketiah and Leandro Trossard could also both leave depending on if the Gunners manage to add to their attack this summer. One man who won’t be arriving though is Sesko.
Explaining why he decided to sign a new deal with Leipzig, he said: “I had a good first year at RB Leipzig and am incredibly happy to be here. Team, club, city, fans – the overall package remains simply outstanding for me. The early contract extension is therefore the logical step for me.“Even though I didn’t play or score as much in the first half of the season, this phase was very important for me and my development. I feel a lot of trust and appreciation throughout the club and that is crucial for being able to deliver my best performances. In the second half of the season in particular, I was able to give a lot back with my goals.
“We have a team with great potential and a balanced mix of young and experienced players. I just really want to take the next steps together with this team. We have already achieved a lot in my first season and often showed what quality and outstanding football we can bring to the pitch. But there is still a lot to be done and that is now our common goal.”
