Arsenal and Chelsea have been dealt a blow with Benjamin Sesko set to turn down interest from the Premier League in favour of staying at RB Leipzig.
Sesko had been made a priority transfer target for the London rivals ahead of the transfer window’s opening on Friday, but each are set to be disappointed in their pursuit of the Slovenian striker.
The 21-year-old has decided to reject approaches from the Premier League to recommit his future to Leipzig for next season, with Sesko set to sign a new deal on improved terms at the Red Bull Arena.
However, a gentleman’s agreement has been made between the player and club regarding a future exit, according to Fabrizio Romano. It remains unclear whether Sesko’s £55m release clause will be increased as part of his new contract with Leipzig.
Arsenal and Chelsea had made Sesko a focus for the summer following an encouraging first season for the forward in the Bundesliga. The Slovenian struggled for regular first-team football across the opening months of the campaign, after arriving from Red Bull Salzburg in a €24m deal, but impressed across the run-in.
He ended his debut season in the Bundesliga with 14 goals from just 17 league starts, averaging a goal every 109 minutes for Leipzig, and scored in each of the club’s final seven games of the season.
Sesko has scored 11 goals in 29 caps at international level and will face England in this summer’s Euro 2024 group stage, when the Three Lions take on Slovenia on June 25.
