Arsenal Transfer Rumour: Gunners Consider Move for Sunderland Ace

Arsenal are pondering a bid for Sunderland's Stephane Sessegnon in the summer transfer window, according to the Daily Mail.

The Benin international moved to Sunderland in a £6 million deal last January but his consistent performances this season have attracted the interest of several clubs, including Tottenham, Liverpool and his former club PSG, apart from the Gunners.

Arsene Wenger's primary competition for the player will be PSG, since the French club is desperate to add a few players to their squad in the summer transfer window. They have been linked with a host of players, including Arsenal forward Marouane Chamakh. Meanwhile, Sunderland, although reluctant to part with their star player, will be forced to sell if the offer is a good one.

Sessegnon, who has scored five goals since the turn of the year, could be tempted to spurn Arsenal and return to France since his family still lives in Paris and he has to, now, travel back regularly to visit. Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill has already said the club might struggle to keep hold of the 27 year old.

"It is something towards the end of the season I want to look at. We wouldn't want to lose Sessegnon because of homesickness," the Daily Mail quoted O'Neill as saying.

"I haven't had a word from his agent but I believe his name will be bandied around, and we'd hate to lose him," the manager added.

Arsene Wenger is known to be an admirer of Sessegnon and would certainly be considering matching any offer made by PSG in the summer, as long as, of course, it remains within the Gunners' normally frugal budget.

As for reports of Sessegnon's preferring a move to PSG because of homesickness, given the large French influence at the Emirates, the player might be persuaded to stay on in England and become a Gunner.

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