Arsenal Transfer News Today: Leipzig's Sesko DECISION, Man Utd plot wonderkid RAID, Zubimendi LATEST

Suraj Radia

• 23 Jan 2025 20:35 GMT
• 4 min read

All the latest Arsenal transfer news and rumours today (Thursday January 23), including the latest on Benjamin Sesko, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Martin Zubimendi.

Sesko staying at Leipzig

RB Leipzig director Marcel Schafer has insisted that Benjamin Sesko will not leave the club this month despite strong interest from the likes of Arsenal.

Arsenal have been in the market for a striker after Gabriel Jesus suffered an ACL injury earlier this month and Sesko has been a long-term target for the Gunners, having turned down a move to the Emirates last summer.

But Schafer told Sky Germany that there was no contact with clubs and no talks being held over Sesko’s exit.

“There is definitely no contact with any other club or any discussions regarding Sesko,” he said. “We are very happy to have Benji in our squad. He is one of the top attacking talents in Europe and is currently in excellent form. He will continue to wear the RB Leipzig jersey.”

Zinchenko ‘expected’ to leave Arsenal

Oleksandr Zinchenko is ‘expected’ to leave Arsenal this month after Dortmund registered an interest in the fringe Gunners star.

Zinchenko has played less than 300 minutes in the league for Arsenal but made his third start of the season this week, filling in for the injured Myles Lewis-Skelly at left-back against Dinamo.

According to The Telegraph, Dortmund have made Zinchenko their top target at left-back this month and Arsenal are open to his departure but they may wait until they know the extent of Lewis-Skelly’s injury before making a final decision.

Tierney close to Arsenal exit

Arsenal could see another left-back leave them soon after reports that Kieran Tierney is set to agree a pre-contract to join former club Celtic in the summer.

Tierney has fallen down the pecking order at the Emirates in recent seasons, in part due to injury but also Mikel Arteta’s preference for a different type of left-back.

The Scottish international is out of contract in the summer and he is seeking an exit after playing just 13 Premier League minutes this season.

Multiple outlets have claimed that Tierney is in talks over a return to Celtic, with discussions ongoing over his wages and also if a deal can be agreed to sign him now on loan rather than in the summer.

Zubimendi to Arsenal ‘extremely likely’

Arsenal are 'extremely likely' to sign Martin Zubimendi, with the deal already as good as done, according to a report.

The Gunners caused a stir when it was revealed that they were set to sign Zubimendi in the summer, although some reports claimed that the deal was still not close to being done.

Journalist James Benge has now confirmed that the deal is 'extremely likely' to happen and that it really is just a case of Arsenal deciding when to put the money on the table.

“Zubimendi is extremely likely," he said. "It's not done yet because, of course, they have to pay the release clause, but messages have come from Arteta and the Arsenal side for a very long time, convincing Zubimendi, who rejected the chance to go to Liverpool, and has rejected the chance to go elsewhere in the Premier League, when it's been put to him in the past that this is the time to move and this is the club to move to.

“So they have to go and pay the release clause and my expectation is that they will either do that or, actually more likely, will go a little bit over the release clause just to sweeten the payment terms.”

Man Utd in Heaven

Arsenal could be set for another youngster ready to leave the club to move to Manchester United after Fabrizio Romano revealed interest in Gunners youngster Ayden Heaven.

Chido Obi-Martin left Arsenal for United during the summer and another highly-rated wonderkid could follow suit, with Heaven having made his debut for the Gunners this season in the EFL Cup against Preston.

The 18-year-old has yet to pen professional terms with Arsenal and United have now made contact according to Fabrizio Romano, with Frankfurt and Barcelona also interested.