'Top clubs' - Arsenal named as interested party in pursuit of 20-year-old star striker

The RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko has seen ‘interest from England and Italy’ following an exceptionally impressive debut season in the Bundesliga. The 20-year-old has contributed 18 goals and two assists from his 42 games and reports from Sky Deutschland have named Arsenal as a potential contender to sign the striker this summer.

AC Milan are another to have been credited with interest, with the report adding that ‘top clubs’ from the Premier League are keen, with only the Gunners mentioned.

The Slovenia international is currently on a deal that lasts until 2028, but it does include a release clause. Rumours have indicated the price of said clause is between €50m and €70m (£43m and £60m) while Sky have provided further information, suggesting the striker’s clause in the upcoming transfer window will be determined by his appearances and performances (goals and assists)

With this in mind - and as the 20-year-old has 18 goals this season - it is believed Sesko’s buyout clause will be set at around £56m and has to be activated by the end of June, after such time any interested parties will have to negotiate with the German club.

Leipzig are reportedly very uninterested in selling their rising star and the report from Sky suggests that the Bundesliga club are in fact trying to remove the release clause by offering an improved deal. While the club’s efforts are ongoing, if the Gunners do activate his release clause before that, Leipzig will have little option but to sell the Slovenian.

Born in Radece, Slovenia, Sesko’s first professional contract came in 2019 with Red Bull Salzburg and he was soon sent on loan to FC Liefering for two seasons. In the 2020/21 season, Sesko scored 21 goals in 29 appearances, becoming the league’s second-best goal-scorer.

The striker - who has 28 international appearances for Slovenia - then headed to RB Leipzig in 2022 and, after finishing the season with 18 goals across all competitions, Sesko also became the youngest player ever to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga games.