Report: £55m striker described as better than Haaland did not want to join Arsenal because of Havertz

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Arsenal tried to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig during the summer transfer window.

Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar – who has now left Arsenal – made attempts to sign the Slovenia international in a bid to add more firepower to the squad.

Had Arsenal managed to sign Benjamin Sesko last summer, the Gunners may be in a better position than their current standing of fifth in the Premier League.

Arsenal are still scouting Sesko – who is enjoying a fine 2024/25 campaign with seven goals and three assists in 14 appearances so far – although an interesting revelation has now been made involving Kai Havertz.

Benjamin Sesko did not fancy Arsenal move due to Kai Havertz competition

A story from the Daily Mail now states that the RB Leipzig No.30 did not want to join Arsenal – because he felt he would be playing second fiddle to the Germany international.

Sami Mokbel explains that the Slovenian strongly considered moving to the Emirates Stadium after learning that Arteta wanted him, but decided against a switch to north London when Arsenal failed to guarantee that he would start ahead of Havertz.

The Daily Mail add that Arsenal were happy to pay Sesko’s release clause before discovering his true feelings on the move, and the 21-year-old eventually signed a new contract with RB Leipzig.

Mokbel adds that Arsenal remain interested nonetheless, and the RB Leipzig marksman has a release clause of £55m.

Mikel Arteta could have played Benjamin Sesko and Kai Havertz together

Manchester United are now keen to sign Sesko too – and Arsenal’s failure to convince the wonderkid last summer could soon come back to bite them.

We feel it was a bit of an oversight from the Gunners to tell the man born in Radece he was not guaranteed to start, as the way Arsenal have set up for most of this season, the pair could have played together.

Arteta has fielded a 4-4-2 formation since Martin Odegaard suffered his ankle injury, with Trossard playing just behind Havertz, so there would have been room for both Sesko, who has been called better than Erling Haaland, and the German to shine.

Even in the 4-3-3 system Arteta used before the Norway international was sidelined, Sesko could have been incorporated, given how well Havertz does when dropping deeper to link up play as a No.8 at times.

Hopefully, Arsenal do not miss out on Sesko next time an approach is made, or else the developments of last summer could come back to bite them.