English Premier League side Arsenal have been tracking RB Leipzig's 22-year-old Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško since early June. The club is said to have recently activated his release clause of 65 million euros plus bonuses of 70-80 million euros and is in serious negotiations with Leipzig to get the deal sealed as soon as possible.

However, salary negotiations have slowed down any progress. It is believed that Arsenal is not willing to meet the player’s demands, which means that both sides are reaching an impasse.

The Clock is Ticking for Arsenal

Arsenal have strongly insisted on the need to finalise the deal as they have set a strict time frame to get this deal over and done with, and do not wish to see the deal drag on and on far into the pre-season. As the new season rapidly closes in, they are expected to seal their main striker target, Šeško, or move in a different direction. Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta understands too well that he cannot afford another season in the cold after narrowly missing out on the league title to Liverpool. He is also watching as Liverpool and Manchester City continue to bolster their already-strong sides.

From a betting perspective, the signing of Šeško would greatly enhance Arsenal's chances of winning the title. Sites such as Wincomparator, which regularly cover the sport, offering in-depth predictions and tips, will be watching how his entry into the fray could turn the battle in the Premier League on its head, and place Arsenal as equal favourites by the end of the summer.

Other Players on the Gunners’ Radar

As Arsenal continue with the negotiations, they are also actively looking at other players:

Viktor Gyokeres: It is reported that a fee of approximately 58million is on the table for the Sporting Lisbon pointman. Negotiations are believed to have been initiated, but there is still a problem with wages and competition from rival teams.

Other options include Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa and Hugo Ekitike of Eintracht Frankfurt in the German Bundesliga. Bilbao winger Nico Williams was also believed to be high on Mikel Arteta’s wish-list, but the Spaniard has made it clear he wants to move to Barcelona. Should the Šeško deal fall through, Arsenal will not be short of options, but time is of the essence, especially with other EPL sides strengthening.

Suitability and Player Profile

Šeško is 6’5”, and he provides the perfect physicality and speed in attack, especially in the Bundesliga, where he scored 21 goals in the last campaign, topping even Kai Havertz, the leading goalscorer at Arsenal last term. However, he is still a work in progress, specifically when it comes to his ability to convert scoring opportunities clearly; critics have raised the issue of his composure and reliability at the senior level.

What It Means to Arsenal

Arsenal missed out on silverware in a season marred by injuries to their key players, and the lack of a natural number 9. Šeško is strongly believed to be the man to help fill that vacuum in the long term. The wage dispute, however, throws up an important question: Is Arteta going to stick with his target, or will he shift to a cheaper, shorter-term striker?

Arsenal are at a critical point as the summer window heads towards July. If they cannot come to an agreement with Šeško’s representatives, Gyokeres will certainly be one player to look at. They are both proven goal scorers and could be the solution to what ailed the Gunners in the just-concluded 2024/25 season.