United were determined to upgrade their attack this summer after finishing 15th in the Premier League last season. While Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo were signed to add much-needed Premier League expertise, Ruben Amorim was also eager to add a new focal point to his attack.
Rasmus Hojlund was coming off a disappointing campaign, and the Portuguese head coach was eager for an upgrade. Having seen the team manage just 44 goals in 38 games in the league, INEOS were also ready to grant Amorim’s wish.
Multiple candidates were linked with Old Trafford for the job before the English giants zeroed in on Benjamin Sesko. The Slovenian striker is highly rated in the European circuit and finished last season with 21 goals from 45 games.
Sesko’s arrival meant there was no room left for Hojlund, with the Danish striker moving to Atalanta on loan.
United want Harry Kane in 2026
Despite his obvious talents, Sesko has endured a slow start to life at the Theatre of Dreams. The 22 year old has featured in all six games this season, which includes three starts, but has yet to register a goal contribution.
The general opinion is that the Slovenian would have benefited from the presence of an established striker in the squad. Interestingly, United are already linked with a move for Harry Kane in 2026, with the Englishman expected to leave Bayern Munich next summer.
Only Alan Shearer has scored more goals than Kane in the Premier League, and the former Tottenham Hotspur striker could return next year to try and claim that record. The Red Devils, interestingly, are long-term admirers of the 32 year old and were also linked with him in 2023.
However, Spurs were not too keen to strengthen a rival, and Kane ended up moving to the Allianz Arena in a reported £86.4m deal. United, meanwhile, ended up signing Hojlund from Atalanta for £72m.
The Red Devils have lived to rue that decision and could have a chance to make amends next year. However, it now appears that Barcelona could scupper their plans.
Barcelona eyeing Robert Lewandowski’s replacement
According to a report from El Nacional, the Catalans have entered the race to sign the Englishman in 2026 as a possible replacement for Robert Lewandowski. The Polish striker is in the final year of his contract, and the LaLiga champions see Kane as the ideal candidate to fill his shoes at Camp Nou next season.
The Englishman has been on fire since moving to Bayern Munich, and has scored 98 goals and set up 29 more from 103 games across competitions. That includes 13 goals from seven games this season.
While he could be the ideal mentor for Benjamin Sesko at Old Trafford, it now appears that United won’t have a free run at Kane. Interestingly, the Englishman’s contract expires in 2027.
The player reportedly has a release clause in his contract, which will be activated next summer. Given Barcelona’s poor finances, perhaps all is not lost for the Red Devils in the race just yet.
Featured image Ian MacNicol via Getty Images
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Deepungsu Pandit
Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.
