At a Glance:
- Andrea Berta opposed the signing of Benjamin Sesko.
- Why Berta thought the Sesko deal was far from ideal.
- How Mikel Arteta reacted.
Arsenal were famously linked with Benjamin Sesko before he ended up becoming a Manchester United player.
The Gunners ultimately brought in Viktor Gyokeres, who has underperformed since his move to the Emirates Stadium. Meanwhile, Sesko has looked the part in a Manchester United shirt and looks far more prolific than Gyokeres.
Despite starting 16 Premier League games than Gyokeres’ tally of 24, the former RB Leipzig frontman has scored just two fewer goals than the Swede.
| Premier League stats this season | Viktor Gyokeres | Benjamin Sesko |
| Starts | 24 | 16 |
| Goals | 12 | 10 |
| Goal per start | 0.50 | 0.62 |
While Wayne Rooney leapt to Gyokeres’ defence recently, the numbers don’t lie, also considering the gulf in class between Arsenal and Manchester United this season. The reasons behind why Arsenal did not snap Sesko up have now come to the fore.
Andrea Berta opposed Arsenal signing Benjamin Sesko
The Athletic have revealed that sporting director Andrea Berta was at the forefront of Arsenal’s search for a number nine, as he held talks involving several strikers including Sesko.
Ultimately, there were three factors that put Berta off the prospect of signing the Slovenian international.
- Sesko’s salary
- The bonuses
- The commission demanded by the agent
Sesko has thrived under Michael Carrick and annoyingly for Arsenal fans, had Andrea Berta been instructed to sign the 22-year-old, he would have.
However, Berta made it clear to the club that in his eyes, signing the United goalscorer was a ‘bad deal.’
How Mikel Arteta reacted to Arsenal not signing Benjamin Sesko
It’s safe to assume that Andrea Berta might be regretting his decision to complete Gyokeres’ acquisition instead, as the club already seem to be on the hunt to find his replacement.
Arsenal are eyeing Eli Junior Kroupi while Mikel Arteta’s side love Julian Alvarez as well, two strikers who could instantly come into the Gunners’ squad and oust Gyokeres. On the other hand, Sesko has shown that he has the potential to lead the line for Manchester United in the long run.
The report has also claimed that Arsenal and Mikel Arteta ‘aligned’ with Andree Berta’s view about the deal involving Sesko at the very end.
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