Miguel Delaney: Arsenal hesitate over price in deal for key attacking target | OneFootball

Arsenal’s Sesko Stand-Off Exposes Transfer Tensions Amid Summer Strategy Shift

Leipzig price hike stalls Sesko pursuit

Arsenal’s calculated pursuit of Benjamin Sesko has hit a familiar snag: valuation. As Miguel Delaney reports in The Independent, RB Leipzig are “holding firm on receiving the full release clause,” now believed to be in excess of £65 million. That clause has reportedly risen due to contractual activations over the season, just in time to test Arsenal’s transfer resolve.

For a club often praised for its smart squad-building, this is another encounter with the economic reality of modern football, where value is less a measure of talent and more a game of financial chicken.

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Sesko wants Arsenal. “Personal terms seen as no issue” is the line that usually signals the hard part is done. Yet the two clubs are locked in early-stage posturing, as Arsenal probe and Leipzig resist.

Interestingly, Leipzig’s leverage is softened by their failure to qualify for the Champions League, which makes holding out a risk as much as a principle. It is a standoff, not just about money, but pride. Football clubs are no longer just selling players, they are defending corporate valuations.

Arsenal’s options reflect changing tone

Arsenal are no longer simply choosing between Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres. That binary has blurred. Gyokeres remains of interest, but his age and profile — “having only really scored goals in Portugal” at 26 — invites caution. The fee, reportedly steep, does not align with how Arsenal usually operate.

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Ollie Watkins has been mentioned again. Gonçalo Ramos too, though his wages at PSG are an obstacle. Neither fit perfectly. Each presents complications Arsenal would rather avoid.

Zubimendi deal nearly done

There is less turbulence on the midfield front. The Independent notes “no concern about the signing of Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi,” with the majority of terms agreed and only details outstanding.

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That is what Arsenal like: clarity, control, cooperation. They are far less comfortable when confronted with drawn-out disputes over inflated fees.

Winger chase delayed by Madrid

Rodrygo remains a wide option, but the Brazilian is in no rush to exit Real Madrid. With the Club World Cup looming, timing becomes another obstacle. Arsenal are also reportedly seeking to make sales before committing to that position, underscoring the strategic caution that frames this window.

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Our View – EPL Index Analysis

For Arsenal fans, this kind of update feels like déjà vu. Once again, the club has a clear top target, the player wants the move, personal terms are aligned, and yet… things stall.

We’ve seen this with Vlahović, with Mudryk, and now with Sesko. A player full of promise, showing genuine desire to come to the Emirates, only for negotiations to drag because Arsenal are hesitant to meet the asking price.

Yes, it is easy to understand the caution. Over £65 million is a huge amount for someone still proving himself at the top level. But if Sesko is the guy Arteta has wanted for over a year, if he’s “energised by the prospect” of joining, then isn’t now the time to act decisively?

Zubimendi looks like a done deal, which is encouraging. But fans are desperate for a forward who can complement what they already have. Watkins? A solid player, but not transformative. Ramos? Overpriced and out of sync with the club’s wage structure.

Sesko is the one. Young, hungry, tactically flexible. This isn’t just about goals. It’s about momentum, about showing the ambition to compete with Europe’s elite. Delay too long and the same old story could repeat itself.