Manchester United appear to be pulling ahead of their rivals in the race to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko.
Last night, Man United were held to a frustrating 2-2 draw with Olympique Lyonnais, throwing away an almost-guaranteed victory just seconds before the full-time whistle.
While able to find the back of the net on two occasions, it was defender Leny Yoro and substitute Joshua Zirkzee who emerged as United’s heros on the night, with Rasmus Hojlund continuing to struggle in his role as starting striker.
Given United’s dire need for a proven goalscorer, Sesko has emerged as a prime transfer target.
While The Peoples Person acknowledged that Sesko is reportedly looking to move to the Premier League in the summer, it now appears that United will be one of his most likely suitors.
In his Ask Ornstein Q&A for The Athletic, David Ornstein revealed where United and fierce rivals Arsenal stand in their battle to sign Sesko.
“Arsenal have done a significant amount of work on Sesko over a long period. He is clearly a super talent who is doing really well and I’m sure he will continue to flourish,” Ornstein explained.
“My colleague James McNicholas detailed recently that Arsenal have some reservations, so perhaps Mikel Arteta and Berta are prioritising others (we’ve reported previously about Isak/Gyokeres).”
“That doesn’t mean to say Sesko is out of the equation, but perhaps Arsenal is not looking like his most probable destination at this moment in time,” Ornstein stated before concluding: “We know Manchester United rate him highly, too… I seem to recall him being their top — or a prominent — target last summer before he decided to stay at Leipzig and sign a new contract.”
Intriguingly, Leipzig appear to have the answer to United’s striker issue, not only in terms of providing a new signing but also in terms of dealing with the struggling Hojlund.
Last month, it was reported that Leipzig were actually considering Hojlund as a replacement for Sesko.
As a result, a swap deal or other arrangement may be on the table, providing United with an advantage over other clubs who have also taken an interest in Sesko.
With a reported price tag of €70 million, Sesko could be a decent replacement for Hojlund, especially since he is just 21 years old with most of his career ahead of him.
Of course, his fine goalscoring record, with four goals in eight UEFA Champions League matches, four goals in four DFB-Pokal appearances, and 11 league goals in 27 Bundesliga games, will surely attract some much-deserved attention.
Featured image Luciano Lima via Getty Images
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Mathew Cohen
A faithful Manchester United supporter, Mathew has worked as a football writer and analyst for SB Nation, FanSided, and now The Peoples Person. Mathew’s heroes include David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sir Alex Ferguson, all of whom played their part in creating some special childhood memories.
