Benjamin Sesko is ready to join a ‘special club’ this summer but the Arsenal target will not attempt to force his way out of RB Leipzig.
The Gunners have made the Slovenia international and Sporting CP Star Viktor Gyokeres their top targets this summer as they seek to bring in a striker to lead Mikel Arteta’s attack next season.
Deals for both players are being explored with reports in Portugal claiming Arsenal have already seen an offer of €60million plus €10m in add-ons rejected for Gyokeres.
Talks to bring Sesko to north London have been held but there has been no official bid for the 22-year-old, with Leipzig valuing him at between €80million and €100million.
Gyokeres’ relationship with Sporting has turned toxic over the last 10 days with the Sweden international determined to leave the club by any means necessary.
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The situation with Sesko is more serene by comparison with his agent Elvis Basanovic insisting there will be no attempts to engineer a move away from Leipzig.
Asked about rumours he is pressing Leipzig to lower their demands, Basanovic told Give Me Sport: ‘This is far from truth! We respect RB Leipzig and I am 100% convinced RB Leipzig will also respect our decision for the next step when we decide to do it.
‘Even if there may be – or will be – a strong desire of the player to move to a certain club, we will never force or blackmail RB Leipzig.
‘I believe this is not the right way, because the way you actually exit from the club shows your values. Values that you are bringing into a new club.
‘I can understand in very big transfers, there are a lot of different interests but no matter what, I believe in football world should be more respect.
‘So that’s why we do things in the right way or we don’t do them. It’s very simple, even maybe in the media it looks very complicated.’
Basanovic even suggested Sesko could choose to remain in Germany if the right club does not come forward with the right offer this summer.
‘Well, his numbers at his age compared to some strikers with already great careers at his age are confirming my words. He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club, a special project with a special coach.’
Asked when a move could happen, he added: ‘It can be next week… or next year, or in three years.’
Manchester United also have long-standing interest in Sesko with Ruben Amorim eager to sign a striker this summer.
Liam Delap rejected a move to Old Trafford to instead join Chelsea with Gyokeres’ repreenatives also informing United he is not interested in a move.
It remains to be seen whether Sesko would consider the red half of Manchester given the lack of European football on offer next season.,
