Benjamin Sesko’s agent has claimed that his client will only leave RB Leipzig this summer for a ‘special club and project’ and insisted he will not ‘blackmail’ the side over a move.
The 22-year-old has been a long-time Gunners target, with the club having had offers rejected in May last year and the most recent January transfer window.
Arsenal are keen to bolster their attacking options having finished second in the Premier League for a third-straight season.
Sesko is their priority signing but however, according to German reporter Florian Plettenberg no bid has yet been submitted – and that is down to one key reason. Leipzig value Sesko between £68million and £85m – figures the north London outfit are reportedly unwilling to reach.
Amid this apparent stand-off, his agent Elvis Basanovic has insisted that they will not force a move away from the German club and said it was take a ‘special’ proposal to prise him from the Red Bull Arena.
‘Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig,’ he told GiveMeSport.
‘I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.
‘I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests but no matter what, I believe in football world should be more respect.
So that’s why we do things in the right way or we don’t do them.
‘It’s very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated.’
Earlier this week, reports in Germany claimed that the striker is yet to agree personal terms with the Gunners who are succession planning and continuing to monitor the situation with Sporting’s wantaway striker Viktor Gyokeres.
Basanovic would not be drawn on a timeline of events for his client, though he did reject the claim that they had requested Leipzig accept a lower fee this summer.
Basanovic instead said that Sesko could leave Leipzig ‘next week, or next year or in three years’.
‘[Sesko’s] numbers at his age compared to some strikers with already great careers at his age are confirming my words,’ added Basanovic.
‘He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club, a special project with a special coach.’
If Gyokeres can leave for his verbally agreed fee with the Portuguese club, believed to be between £51-59m, then the north London outfit will remain interested.
Leipzig only finished seventh in the Bundesliga in 2024-25 and will not be able to offer their star striker Champions League football next season, while the Gunners will be playing in Europe’s elite club competition.
The in-demand 22-year-old Slovenian has already rejected a move to Saudi side Al-Hilal, such is his preference to join Arsenal.
