Manchester United’s pursuit of Benjamin Sesko has ramped up this week after Fabrizio Romano’s latest update on the red-hot race for the RB Leipzig striker.
Two Targets Up Front
A new number nine is considered an urgent priority at Old Trafford after the club’s worst campaign in the Premier League era last season.
Two number tens have already been secured – Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo – but United remain on the hunt for a frontman to play ahead of the dynamic duo.
The club’s first-choice target, Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, rebuffed United’s interest to complete a switch to Chelsea, despite INEOS having been confident of securing a deal for the England U-21 international.
Advances were then made towards Viktor Gyokeres (Sporting CP) and Hugo Ekitike (Eintracht Frankfurt). But both forwards mirrored Delap’s decision by joining United’s rivals instead with Arsenal signing Gyokeres and Ekitike joining Liverpool.
This has led the Red Devils to narrow their focus to two strikers: Sesko and Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa).
The Push for Sesko
Watkins is an England international with proven track record of goals and a wealth of Premier League experience – a key attribute Ruben Amorim has demanded United prioritise in new recruits.
But the Villa forward turns 30 in December and is likely to cost in excess of £50 million, as well demanding a considerable salary given this will be the last ‘big contract’ of his career.
INEOS’ drive since assuming the helm at Old Trafford last year has been to prioritise younger recruits on more affordable wages, even if it involves a large transfer fee, as the signing of Leny Yoro demonstrated.
An expensive pursuit of Watkins does not fit into the approach in place over the past 18 months; but the capture of a highly-rated 22-year-old striker like Sesko, even if costs as much as £70 million, is right in line with the recruitment model INEOS have sought to implement.
United’s director of recruitment, Christopher Vivell, is said to be leading the club’s pursuit of Sesko as the German executive previously worked in the Red Bull Group and knows the Slovenia international on a personal level.
United have held talks with Sesko and his representatives to present the project on offer at Old Trafford and assess the financials involved in a deal. But Newcastle United are also pushing to sign Sesko amid fears their talismanic attacker Alexander Isak will leave St James’ Park this summer.
Writing for GIVEMESPORT, Romano now reveals that sources close to the deal indicate the Red Devils have launched negotiations with Leipzig “face-to-face” as they formalise their interest in the 22-year-old.
“Sources reveal to GIVEMESPORT that Manchester United had a direct contact with RB Leipzig in the last 48 hours to start concrete conversations about the Sesko deal details, with suggestions on a meeting taking place face-to-face in the past few days.
“Due to a gentleman’s agreement between Sesko, his agent and RB Leipzig, the player could leave for a fee of around €70/80m fixed plus €5/10m add-ons if it’s the player to inform the German club about his desire. Manchester United wanted to check the status of this “private agreement”, after speaking to Sesko’s camp in the recent days.”
The fact that United have entered talks directly with Leipzig after discussions were held with Sesko indicates the Slovenian has communicated his willingness to move to Old Trafford this summer, which corroborates a report relayed by The Peoples Person last week.
United are likely to need to generate income through sales in order to meet Leipzig’s demands for their attacking starlet, however, meaning the futures of players like Alejandaro Garnacho, Antony, and Jadon Sancho are as important to resolve as any agreement in Germany.
Featured image Luciano Lima via Getty Images
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Darragh Fox
Darragh is a writer for The Peoples Person who spent three years as a history graduate slowly realising football was by far the most interesting thing to write about.
