RB Leipzig are reported to have accepted that their “dream” asking price for Benjamin Šeško is not “realistic” after a lack of offers for the striker.

Since Chelsea secured the capture of Liam Delap for a fixed £30 million ($41.2 million), Arsenal are the club most linked with Šeško as part of their pursuit of a reliable No.9.

The Gunners haven’t had a striker reach 20 goals in a single season since Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang five years ago. There wasn’t a natural striker in the squad in 2024–25 and their Premier League title bid was damaged when stand-in centre forward Kai Havertz, typically more comfortable and effective in a deeper role, got injured in February.

Šeško and Viktor Gyökeres are the names on everyone’s lips, although neither appears to be a perfect fit. Šeško is something of a gamble, still raw at the age of 22 and relatively unproven—his Bundesliga goal tally in 2024–25 was 13, respectable but far from outstanding. Gyökeres netted 54 times across all competitions for Sporting CP, but success in Portuguese football doesn’t always translate very well to bigger leagues. Just ask Liverpool and Darwin Núñez.

Both players have also been priced very expensively during the summer so far.

However, according to BILD, Leipzig are recognising that an ideal selling price in excess of €80 million (£68.4 million, $93.8 million), and up to €100 million (£85.4 million, $117.2 million), isn’t going to bring in a buyer. There have been “no concrete offers”, nor any movement around Šeško “for weeks”.

Around €70 million (£59.8 million, $82.1 million) is a more “realistic” price.

For Arsenal’s part, they appear to be putting more energy right now into signing a defender, as much as it pains fans. The Gunners are reported to consider boosting defensive depth a “priority” in the market and have been working on a deal for 20-year-old Valencia centre back Cristhian Mosquera. Meanwhile, functional defensive midfielder Christian Nørgaard could be the first summer signing.

Gyökeres’s frustration with Sporting’s hardline stance over valuation, similar to Leipzig’s original Šeško price, has led to suggestions that he is considering going on striker to force a transfer.