This is the third successive window where Daniel Levy will have ‘strikers‘ writing on his whiteboard as the club chairman looks to bring in a new centre-forward who can not only complement but also compete with Dominic Solanke for the number nine role at N17, and the Lilywhites have been keeping tabs on RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, according to the latest by Florian Plettenberg.
Sesko at the moment is among the best strikers in the world, someone with elite movement, physicality, and ball striking, and the North Londoners reported interest in his signature shows the ambition of Daniel Levy to take Tottenham Hotspur to the very top. But Spurs aren’t alone in the pursuit of his signature; the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal are also vying for his signature, with the Gunners leading the race to his pursuit.
Arsenal have been looking to bring in a new striker at the Emirates Stadium, with the Gunners pushing all other targets to a secondary priority and Sesko being the prime target, and given the current project at N5, they may only be one Sesko away from bringing a title-winning side. And to put things into perspective, this makes it very difficult for Tottenham to compete with their neighbours for the 21-year-old’s signature.
Let’s take a look at the whys behind how a move for Sesko is a bit far-fetched for Tottenham and Levy.
Why Tottenham cannot beat Arsenal to sign Benjamin Sesko
To start with, the Lilywhites shattered their transfer record to bring Dominic Solanke (£60-65 million) to N17 from Bournemouth only in the last summer window, showing long-term faith in the former Liverpool ace, and splashing another €80 million (£68 million) to sign another player in the same position will be a reckless allocation of resources, especially when there is a dire need to strengthen other areas of the squad (e.g., centre-back, midfield depth). And considering a keen eye on PSR, it is not feasible to put in around £130 million in two centre-forwards in the space of twelve months without sacrificing reinforcements elsewhere.
And with Solanke leading the line, Levy can possibly think of a cost-effective backup (e.g., a veteran or younger prospect) rather than a marquee player at the moment.
Then comes in the pulling power of Arsenal, who, unlike Tottenham Hotspur, are Champions League regulars and Premier League title contenders,are which will offer the Slovenian a platform to not only compete for silverware immediately but also be among elite talents like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, William Saliba, and Gabriel Martinelli. And the injury problems for Gabriel Jesus mean the pathway to taking up the number nine role straight away is clear (while at Tottenham, he would compete with Solanke for minutes).
Then comes in the financial side of things: the continual presence at the top of PL and CL; they have consistent revenue streams that make them capable of taking that hefty Sesko fee and wages without compromising on targets in other positions.
Then comes in how Leipzig is notorious for the pricing of their players. They drive a hard bargain and create an auction-like situation to demand a premium for their talents and multiple suitors for Sesko (Arsenal, Chelsea, United), which means they will try to inflate his price as well, something that Levy is always wary of, and he would be unlikely to engage in such a battle.
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It is to be seen where this goes from here, but for Tottenham, it seems a bit far-fetched for them to sign Sesko at the moment, and the Lilywhites would be better served in putting that money in defensive and midfield reinforcements and leaving Sesko to move to a place where he can immediately star—likely in North London, but not at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
