Arsenal has allegedly put forward £83 million for the player identified as the ‘new Lewandowski,’ but Arteta’s handling of the situation may threaten the signing for Barcelona…

Arsenal has reportedly offered €100 million (£83 million) to secure the services of RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko, aiming to outpace their rivals this summer.

Reports indicate that Arsenal has made an £83 million proposal for the ‘new Lewandowski,’ yet Arteta’s approach could hinder the transfer process for Barcelona.

The Gunners are currently facing a significant injury crisis at the Emirates Stadium, with both Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz sidelined for the remainder of the season.

Jesus sustained his injury last month, and there was optimism that Havertz would avoid serious issues for the rest of the campaign.

However, Arsenal received disappointing news on Wednesday, confirming that Havertz would be out for several months due to a hamstring tear sustained during a training session in Dubai.

In the previous summer transfer window, Arsenal opted to focus on other signings rather than acquiring a new center-forward, bringing in players such as Mikel Merino, Riccardo Calafiori, David Raya, Raheem Sterling, and Neto.

While the Gunners had the chance to pursue a new striker in January, attempts to sign Sesko and Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak were deemed unrealistic at that time.

Arsenal did submit a bid of approximately £40 million for England international Ollie Watkins, but Aston Villa quickly rejected the offer, seeking over £60 million for the 29-year-old.

Despite being presented with loan options for Spain international Alvaro Morata and other forwards, Mikel Arteta had to continue with the existing squad for the season’s conclusion.

However, it appears that Arsenal is determined not to repeat past mistakes, with transfer expert Fabrizio Romano indicating that they plan to make a significant investment in a striker this summer.

Romano stated on X: “Even after the update on Kai Havertz’s injury requiring surgery, Arsenal’s plans remain unchanged: seek internal solutions and focus on a major signing in the summer.

“An important investment is planned for a striker in the summer window (with Sesko and Isak as the leading candidates)… and also for a winger.”

Romano also disclosed that Arsenal made an attempt to acquire Sesko in January.

He stated in GiveMeSport on Thursday: “In January, Arsenal certainly sought to engage RB Leipzig once more regarding Benjamin Sesko, but negotiations for a mid-season transfer were not feasible.

Leipzig’s response was that he was ‘untouchable,’ although the situation may change in the summer.

“There was no opportunity to inquire about Alexander Isak, as Newcastle had no intention of parting with their key player at that stage of the season.

“Arsenal took significant steps to secure a deal for Ollie Watkins in the closing days of the transfer window, but Aston Villa firmly rejected the idea after selling Jhon Duran to Al Nassr.

Unai Emery was unequivocal, both publicly and privately, with the club’s management: Watkins was not available after Duran’s departure. This made Arsenal’s January transfer strategy particularly challenging.”

However, recent reports from Spain suggest that Arsenal is poised to make a bold move by offering €100m (£83m) in light of interest from Barcelona.

The Catalan club views Sesko as the ‘new Robert Lewandowski’ as they seek a successor for the Polish star, but Arsenal’s bid could disrupt their plans.

The €100m offer is described as ‘a figure that Barcelona cannot match at this time,’ and Arteta may thwart the La Liga club’s signing, which is complicated by their ongoing financial difficulties.

Arsenal is said to be in a strong position to finalize the transfer and potentially secure what could have been Barcelona’s future star striker, prompting the Catalans to consider alternatives like Victor Gyokeres and Isak.