Is Sesko the new Haaland? What Arsenal fans can expect from €75m signing

Robin Bairner

• 31 May 2024 15:30 BST
• 20 min read

Benjamin Sesko looks increasingly likely to be Arsenal first summer signing, with Mikel Arteta close to landing the RB Leipzig striker.

FootballTransfers revealed that Sesko had leapt to the front of the line to becoming Arsenal’s priority in May following Kai Havertz’s explosion in the second half of the season.

In turn, this made Arteta believe that a €100 million striker was not necessary this summer, so the Gunners are set to spend a fraction of that fee on Sesko. While a transfer has been suggested around the €50m mark, his release clause stands at €75m as it has increased due to his strong form this season.

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The Mirror reports that Sesko has agreed to join the Emirates side ahead of Chelsea and Manchester United.

So what can Arsenal fans expect from the 21-year-old?

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STATS

Benjamin Sesko

F (RL), AM (L)

RB Leipzig

Benjamin Sesko

F (RL), AM (L)

RB Leipzig

All Tournaments

2023/24

• 42

  Games

• 18

  Goals

• 2

  Assists

View all stats

My teammates tell me I’m better than Haaland! – Sesko

Sesko himself claims that while with Red Bull Salzburg, his teammates said he was better than Erling Haaland, who has gone on to score at the rate of a goal per game since moving to Manchester City two years ago.

“Such comparisons motivate me and give me energy,” he told the Bundesliga’s official website.

“They do not represent pressure. I will listen and learn so I can be even better than he is.

“My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him!”

In addition to this, Christian Falk also says Sesko’s pure physical strength is something admired in Germany.

“In Leipzig they say: Sesko is physically even stronger than Manchester City’s Erling Haaland. Both strikers were trained at Red Bull Salzburg,” he wrote for the Daily Briefing.

What the stats say

Sesko has been the third-strongest striker in the Bundesliga this season, according to data analytics firm SciSports.

He has 14 league goals to his name this season and a couple of assists.

Surprisingly, he is posting better numbers than prolific Bayern Munich forward Harry Kane, at least in terms of his overall contribution to the RB Leipzig team.

Sesko vs Bundesliga strikers: 2023/24

He is notably placed third in terms of finishing, with his abilities in the box and set-pieces picked out for particular praise.

In defence, he is also a worthwhile contributor to the team. Although he does not score well in terms of his recoveries, he presses strongly and takes up good positions.

Indeed, the Haaland comparisons seem entirely fair as he has a very similar profile to the Man City star. With a goal roughly every 100 minutes in the Bundesliga, it’s not like he’s a slouch in terms of scoring either.

Sesko vs Haaland: Playing Style and development

Sesko will arrive at Arsenal with the capability of being a squad rotation player, SciSports indicates.

He possesses a SciSkill of 86.2, which is a figure calculated based on hundreds of in-game data points drawn from months of performances. The experts suggest that he has a capacity to reach 109.8.

Put into context, this would only make him the 12th-best player in the club. Havertz’s current SciSkill is 123.6 while Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka are both over 130.

He has, however, experienced what is described as a rapid development over the last six months, suggesting that he is presently underestimated.

For the price Arsenal are paying, then, they are set to land a striker who not only has potential but who can positively impact the squad immediately.