With Arsenal finally concluding the evergoing saga of Viktor Gyokeres as the Swede lines up his Gunners debut in Hong Kong against Tottenham Hotspur later this week, Daniel Levy is still comprehending the what-ifs as he scrambles through the transfer target list looking to bring in a new striker, and now the North Londoners may need to act swiftly to avoid falling behind in the striker race with RB Leipzig centre forward Benjamin Šeško still in the market.
While Newcastle United has already taken the lead to sign the Slovene this summer, it’s not too late yet, and the North Londoners could still attempt a bold move to secure his signature if Daniel Levy is willing to push and invest heavily in his signature.
Why Tottenham needs a new centre-forward?
Let’s be honest, we saw last season how the burden of scoring goals every week was a tad too much for Dominic Solanke, and that inconsistency in front of goal means the Lilywhites are still in the market to bring someone who can fill the Harry Kane void upfront.
Alongside the former Bournemouth striker, the Lilywhites also have Richarlison on their roster. The Brazilian has been inconsistent with his fitness as well as given his form in front of goal since his move to Everton, and while when he plays the former Watford ace brings work rate and flashes of aggression, he is not reliable, as we have found out in the past three seasons.
Mohammed Kudus as well as Mathys Tel do have that sense of dynamism, but neither are in the Gyokeres/Sesko mould.
And while it’s too late to go for Gyokeres, the North Londoners can still bring in Sesko given how he has that elite athleticism and aerial dominance, which we have seen for the past couple of seasons in the German top tier.
See, Sesko is already drawing comparisons to Erling Haaland because of his physical profile and how he moves in the box. However, if directly compared to the Norwegian, Sesko gives you more subtlety in the build-up play, a token of his ability to stretch defences (both centrally and wide). And his build as well as his aerial presence make him a threat in dead ball situations as well. Given the pace he has, it also seems to play in favour of Frank, given the counter-attacking system that he is expected to deploy at N17.
How does Šeško fit in at Tottenham under Thomas Frank?
The Dane head coach is expected to pull in a setup that thrives when you have a dynamic striker leading the line, which is very reminiscent of what he used to do with the likes of Toney and Mbeumo at Brentford, where he tried to get the most out of their moments and hold-up while deploying them high on the pressing side of things. And for Šeško, while he is raw, the 22-year-old ticks a lot of those same boxes and definitely has shown that he has a higher ceiling than all the names aforementioned.
If we are to base it on how he deployed it at Gtech Community Stadium, Frank loves to deploy a structured pressing and then catch the opponents by surprise with transactions, and given his pace and direct running capacity, Sesko can be a devastating threat in those situations. And if you play him alongside creative players like Maddison, Kudus, and Kulusevski around him, the 22-year-old could find himself regularly running into high-xG chances.
And then, given that he has that energy to keep chasing off the ball, it suits the demands of the high-pressing system that the North Londoners are expected to deploy under Frank. More than pace, what will come in handy is his understanding of pressing triggers, which he has learnt at Leipzig and will translate well into the identity that the Dane wants to put through at Hotspur Way.
Sesko, moreover (as I mentioned before), gives you a major aerial threat given how he is both offensively and defensively apt when it comes to using his physique, and given how the Lilywhites had struggled in defending set pieces last season, having him in that crowd donning the Spurs badge would be a significant bonus.
And unlike Gyokeres (a win-now player), the Slovenian gives you that blend of short-term impact and long-term development given that he is still only 22 and he has that capacity to grow into a world-class forward under Frank’s tutelage.
But should Tottenham go all in on Šeško?
Given the current situation, there is an expectation that Sesko will cost around £55–65 million in the ongoing summer transfer window, but if Arsenal’s acquisition of Gyokeres and Liverpool’s pursuit of Isak show that there is an arms race at the top, then Daniel Levy needs to respond with conviction. And in Šeško, it gives you that upside of bringing a highly regarded striker in Europe.
Author Opinion
If Tottenham do end up making a late transfer for Benjamin Sesko, it would be a perfect move given how he does have all the attributes to replace the void that Harry Kane has left upfront, and while he may not be as polished as Gyokeres in front of goal just yet, he does have the potential to build his game in the years to come.
