Manchester United retain a key advantage over rivals Newcastle in the red-hot pursuit of Benjamin Sesko with both clubs “in talks” with the 22-year-old striker, according to a report from Germany.
The Need for a Number Nine
United are intent to sign a new number this summer after the struggles of Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee last season.
The senior striker partnership at Old Trafford combined for just seven league goals in the club’s worst campaign in the Premier League era with a 15th-placed finish.
In total, United scored just 44 times – a shocking amount for such an expensively assembled team. Only Everton and the three relegated sides, Leicester City, Ipswich Town and Southampton, produced fewer goals, underscoring why the Red Devils plumbed to the depths they did last season.
Two number tens have already been acquired – Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo – but United remain on the hunt for a striker to lead the line ahead of their new attackers.
The club’s first-choice option was Ipswich frontman Liam Delap. But the England U-21 international rebuffed United’s interest in favour of a switch to Chelsea with the lack of European football on offer at Old Trafford a key factor in his decision.
The failure to qualify for the Champions League next season was similarly prohibitive to any drive to reunite Ruben Amorim with his former protégé in Lisbon, Sporting striker Viktor Gyokeres, who has since joined Arsenal.
Advances were also made to Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike, who enjoyed a breakout season in the Bundesliga last season, but the Frenchman prioritised a move to Liverpool, sealing a switch to Anfield last week.
This has led to a re-evaluation of United’s list of targets with another superb prospect from Germany rapidly emerging as the frontrunner at the Theatre of Dreams, Sesko.
The Hunt for Sesko
United hold a long-standing interest in Sesko, who the club have been tracking since he was a 16-year-old with Slovenian side NK Domžale.
An offer was made in 2022 while Sesko was at RB Salzburg but the youngster decided to remain in the Red Bull system, instead agreeing a deal to join RB Leipzig the following year. United considered returning for Sesko last summer but ultimately settled on Zirkzee as a cheaper alternative.
But this summer may finally prove third time is the charm for the Red Devils with the club having opened talks with Sesko’s representatives, according to Leipziger Volkszeitung – a local paper in Leipzig.
However, Newcastle have also made contact with Sesko as the Magpies weigh up options should star forward Alexander Isak leave Tyneside, as he expressed a desire to do earlier this week.
But the report by Leipziger Volkszeitung, an outlet with an excellent reputation for RB Leipzig news, reveals Sesko would prioritise a move to Old Trafford over St James’ Park as United holds “immense appeal” despite the lack of Champions League football.
“If Sesko had a choice, he, like all history-conscious footballers in the universe, would point unerringly at Manchester. Man United may not be playing in the Champions League (Newcastle has qualified), but they have immense appeal,” the report states.
United are yet to enter club-to-club talks with RB Leipzig, likely driven by the fact that sales will be needed to fund a pursuit of Sesko, who is expected to cost in excess of £70 million.
But getting the player’s approval is an important part of the equation. And the fact Sesko is more drawn by the project on offer in Manchester over Newcastle is a promising sign for the Red Devils’ drive to finally land Amorim the new number nine he so desperately craves.
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.
