Arsenal target Benjamin Sesko's reaction to a goal against Liverpool proves he is more than ready to lead Mikel Arteta's front line.
The Gunners are currently chasing their third successive title – the past two were painfully thwarted by Manchester City – but a serious injury crisis has decimated their attacking squad. The Premier League draws are piling up and eyes are inevitably on the transfer market.
Arteta's side were urged to secure the services of a top number in the summer. 9, but with £65 million earmarked for Kai Havertz in 2023, a marksman wasn't a priority. Now that Gabriel Jesus has been sidelined for some time and the German is not shooting, the lingering need for a striker comes to the fore again.
One name consistently linked with a move to the Emirates is that of RB Leipzig standout Sesko. The 21-year-old Slovenian has already scored fourteen goals in all competitions this season and has long been interesting for English clubs. Moreover, it seems that some of his past comments would make him the perfect Arsenal player.
In the summer of 2023, Sesko moved from Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg to his current Bundesliga team – and looked back on his four-year tenure with fondness.
“Sometimes I need a reminder,” Sesko thought on RB Salzburg's YouTube channel. “You have to work hard for it, and moreover, you have to believe in it, and then everything should be as it is.”
The striker then scored one of his most high-profile goals – a 31st-minute friendly strike against Liverpool. He was just 19 years old at the time and his reaction when looking back at what turned out to be the winner in a 1-0 win was telling.
“I totally remember this one,” Sesko continued. “The skill against Liverpool. There people see that I can also do magic with the ball in these kinds of situations. At this point I'll just… I scored against Liverpool. Wow! I was really proud of myself that I could score against such teams.”
Sesko's pride in scoring against world-class opponents goes some way to proving that if he were to step up to the top flight of England – where he would try to score week in week out against teams like the Reds – he would be ready and feeling have that he he has proven himself in the past.
Although the marksman may receive a slightly higher fee if he is recruited in January, it is reported that Sesko has agreed a gentleman's deal with Leipzig that could see him leave for around £60 million in the summer.
Gunners boss Arteta has addressed such a documented need for a striker and admits that given the injury problems currently plaguing the Emirates, something is being done.
“Right now we don't have them [a striker]Arteta admitted. 'We are, as I said, actively trying to find the best possible solution. We'll have to wait and see what we can do. That's obviously not something I'm going to discuss here. For us, we have lost two big players on the front line and we need some support there.”
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