The Slovenia Times

Leipzig extends budding football star Šeško until 2029

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Benjamin Šeško at a March 2024 game against Portugal in Ljubljana. Photo: Anže Malovrh/STA

Budding Slovenian football star Benjamin Šeško, who signed for Leipzig last year, has been extended by the German Bundesliga club for another year until 2029 in what could serve as a boost for Šeško as the Slovenian football team is opening its Euro 2024 campaign.

Šeško originally signed a five-year contract until 2028, for a reported transfer fee of around EUR 24 million, and Lepizig confirmed on its website on 12 June that the Slovenian has been extended for another year.

"I had a great first year in Leipzig, and I'm very happy to be here. The team, the club, the city, the fans - the whole package is simply great. The early extension was a logical step for me," the 21-year-old commented on the decision.

Šeško, who scored 14 goals in the last Bundesliga season in 31 appearances for Leipzig, noted that while he had not played and scored as much as he would have liked in the first half of the season, this was very important for his development.

"I felt that the club trusts me, and this was the key to developing my full potential," he said, noting that he had given it back to the club by scoring goals in the second half of the season.

Šeško looks forward to playing in Leipzig. "We have a team with great potential, a mixture of youth and experience," he said about the team that finished 4th last season, adding that "we played very good football and we can achieve much more."

Sporting director Rouven Schröder said that "Šeško came to Leipzig as a great talent and has developed here", noting that his goal-scoring abilities were remarkable and that he was "one of the best strikers in the Bundesliga at only 21 years old."

The extension comes amidst rumours that Šeško has drawn interest from English clubs and from Milan, with British media reporting that Arsenal has been the most persistent suitor in recent weeks.

Many other clubs have also been ready to pay a EUR 65 million buyout for the Slovenian before the end of June.

According to the German arm of the Sky Group, Leipzig has deleted this buyout clause from the new contract, and made an agreement with Šeško under which the club would not prevent him from going to other clubs if he receives a tempting offer.

Šeško's agent Elvis Bašanović confirmed for the Slovenian sports newspaper Ekipa SN that the plan was to make a decision about the future of his client before he leaves for Germany to play for Slovenia at the upcoming Euro 2024.

The tall and quick forward has played 29 games for the Slovenian national team to score eleven goals, and was Slovenia's top scorer in the qualifiers, netting five goals from nine appearances in Group H.

He will be one of the key players for Slovenia as the team opens its Euro campaign on 16 June against Denmark in Stuttgart, followed by Serbia on 20 June in Munich and England on 25 June in Cologne.

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