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Manchester United have submitted their first formal offer for primary striker target Benjamin Sesko this afternoon. The move follows Newcastle United’s opening bid worth £69.5 million on Monday after what were described as positive discussions with both RB Leipzig and the player. Reports in Germany indicate United have now entered the race with a proposal of £73.8m, aiming to convince Leipzig to part ways with their forward. The Athletic’s David Ornstein has also verified those claims.
Speculation suggests Sesko is leaning towards a switch to Old Trafford instead of St. James’ Park, even though United will not feature in European competitions during the 2025/26 campaign. His preference for the Premier League had already been clear earlier in the summer when he held talks with Arsenal, only for Leipzig’s high demands to end those negotiations as the Gunners shifted focus to Viktor Gyokeres. Newcastle, having missed out on Joao Pedro, Bryan Mbeumo and Hugo Ekitike, turned firmly towards Sesko after Alexander Isak indicated his desire to seek a new challenge. Although the Magpies signalled they would meet Leipzig’s financial terms, the deal ultimately depends on Sesko’s willingness to accept their offer.
The Slovenian international has produced 39 goals and eight assists in 87 appearances for Leipzig across the past two seasons. Prior to that, he registered 29 goals and 11 assists for RB Salzburg in 79 matches, though two of those campaigns were spent on loan with FC Liefering. United’s interest is being driven by Christopher Vivell, their director of recruitment and former Red Bull chief, who was instrumental in Sesko’s original move to Salzburg at the age of 16.
Alan Shearer has advised both Manchester United and Newcastle United to be cautious in their pursuit of Benjamin Sesko. Although the Premier League’s record goalscorer is eager for Newcastle to strengthen after what he described as a disappointing window, he questioned whether Sesko is the right fit. With both clubs advancing talks, it is understood the striker has a slight preference for United, despite the lack of European football. Leipzig, however, may lean towards dealing with Newcastle given their readiness to meet any asking price.
At Old Trafford, the club reportedly narrowed their striker shortlist to two names last week: Sesko and Ollie Watkins. Within days, Sesko became the priority, largely due to Vivell’s strong ties to the player from his time at Salzburg. Yet if coach Ruben Amorim had the final word, reports claim he would prefer Watkins, who has delivered 87 goals and 42 assists across 223 appearances for Aston Villa.
United’s previous experience with signing young talents still in development has been mixed, with Rasmus Hojlund’s future already in doubt after just two years. Shearer reflected on the risks, saying that while Sesko has talent, investing heavily in an unproven forward carries significant uncertainty. He noted that he watched the Slovenian in last season’s Champions League and saw plenty of room for improvement, stressing that bringing such a player into the Premier League is always a gamble.
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