Benjamin Sesko (Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)
Aside from the lack of transfer activity for Arsenal so far, the current saga surrounding them is whether to choose between Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig or Viktor Gyökeres of Sporting CP as the striker to sign.
There has been persistent talk of Arsenal needing to sign a striker since last season, following their overreliance on goals from set pieces in the 2024–25 season. Whether it was due to dealing with the constant absentees from the squad, the tactics changed, and Arsenal lost their attacking vigor as a result.
However, it isn’t as simple as signing a new striker and the goals will come. They have to sign a striker who fits into the team, elevates other attackers, and has an instant impact. It could be the reason why Arsenal are taking their time to make a decision rather than aggressively bidding for a striker and breaking the bank, in a similar vein to how Man City and Liverpool have early in the window.
There is also the complication that this is Andrea Berta’s first summer transfer window as sporting director at Arsenal, and he’s having to keep both Leipzig and Sporting on good terms while negotiating.
Gyökeres seems to be having a public spat with Sporting CP, which could lead to Arsenal paying an extortionate fee.
Which leaves the other option: Benjamin Sesko.
Though Leipzig are also dragging their heels with a transfer fee, what Sesko brings to the table—and his potential in Arsenal’s current team—is an exciting prospect for the North London club.
Physicality
One of the main things Mikel Arteta has done at Arsenal is completely turn them around from “soft touches” to having guile and using the “dark arts,” so to speak. It helps that they’re such a physically imposing team now.
| Player | Height |
|---|---|
| Kai Havertz | 6 ft 4 |
| Declan Rice | 6 ft 2 |
| William Saliba | 6 ft 4 |
| Gabriel | 6 ft 3 |
| Mikel Merino | 6 ft 2 |
Sesko’s height of 6-foot-5 adds to this. It makes Arsenal formidable from set pieces and aerial duels. The Premier League is more physical than ever; if you have a team with height, when the ball goes in the air, it’s awkward to win duels. Duels now are more important than ever.
Complete Striker
There are fox-in-the-box strikers that gobble goals up, of the Ruud van Nistelrooy ilk. Erling Haaland is the best example of this, but he won’t make things happen with his back to goal. You can’t pass it into him on the half-turn to dribble past players and get you to the penalty area.
Wingers normally do this—think of Mohamed Salah or Raphinha. They both became elite players when they added goal-scoring to their game.
My point is that Sesko has the potential to do both: Be the goal scorer to get 12 to 20 goals in a season and, with his trickery, flair and pace, make things happen in attack.
Last season, whenever Kai Havertz played as a striker and dropped deep, it drew defenders out. While Havertz has slotted into his role well, he isn’t quick enough to receive to feet, link up and take defenders on. Additionally, Arsenal’s wingers don’t make runs off the back of Havertz dropping in.
All of this changes with Sesko.
The RB Leipzig striker can receive in areas directly from midfield and defense with his back to goal, turn, and run past defenders, as he has the pace to do so.
What we also have to factor in is that Leipzig are a team that finished seventh in the Bundesliga. His goal-scoring and shot numbers may not be as high as Gyokeres’, but he was playing in a faster league for a team that sacked its coach, Marco Rose, in March. He had to be the attacking lynchpin for an out-of-form team for much of the season.
With the injection of Sesko’s pace, skill and directness, wingers like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli can make runs off him. Arsenal’s attack lacked the explosive pace they once had when they first emerged as a force under Arteta, due to a change in style of play prioritizing calmer, more settled attacks.
The approach change was a response to losing the title after being eight points clear with nine games left to play, as Man City came from behind to win the Premier League in 2022–23. With the addition of Sesko, as opposed to Gyokeres, they would be getting a striker in the mold of Thierry Henry rather than Van Nistelrooy or Filippo Inzaghi—a well-rounded attacker who troubles teams in different ways.
When you think of Arsenal’s current front line, only Saka drives at players with the ball. There is a real lack of speed, and they don’t play balls in behind, as Havertz is not the player to get chances one-on-one.
Sesko’s top speed in the Bundesliga last season was 35.42 kph, ranking 26th among the 426 players in the league.mHavertz, by comparison, clocked in much lower at 33.42.
Season | Arsenal Goals From Counterattacks |
|---|---|
2020/21 | 1 |
2021/22 | 6 |
2022/23 | 4 |
2023/24 | 7 |
2024/25 | 9 |
As you can see from the above, Arsenal’s goals from counterattacks have risen each season.
With Sesko’s counterattacking threat, while we can’t say for sure that he’s the finished product just yet, it’s hard not to see the Slovenian being a brilliant fit for an Arsenal side that desperately needs that final piece of the puzzle.
