RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko is a man in demand with both Manchester United and Newcastle United vying for his services, while a final decision over his next move is imminent
Benjamin Sesko has been told to sign for Manchester United to avoid having to replicate Alexander Isak’s form at Newcastle, as the Premier League rivals battle for his signature.
Both clubs have submitted bids for the RB Leipzig forward, who is their top target for the summer. Newcastle were the first to put forward a formal bid for the 22-year-old, which was turned down by the Bundesliga side.
The Magpies then came back with an increased offer of £69.5m plus an additional £8.6m in add-ons on Monday. Premier League giants United entered the fray with a proposed deal which emerged on Tuesday worth £65.2m plus another £8.6m in add-ons.
Sesko, who scored 21 goals in 45 matches in all competitions last season, is believed to be training separately from the Leipzig team as the battle to sign him heats up.
Former United and Wrexham goalkeeper Ben Foster has encouraged Sesko to opt for a move to Old Trafford rather than face the pressure of potentially having to match Alexander Isak’s goal tally at Newcastle.
The 42-year-old has also told the Slovenian international to use the situation to negotiate higher wages from both clubs.
Speaking on his Fozcast podcast, the ex-Red Devils keeper said: “If he goes to Newcastle, the Champions League is a massive draw, but he’s got some big boots to fill there with Isak. As a striker, I don’t know if you necessarily need that kind of excess pressure as well.
“Whereas at United, he hasn’t got it so much. They’re not the Man United of old but in stature, it’s still Manchester United.
“You’re going to get the same wages no matter where you go. The fact that you’ve got two [clubs interested] means you might just be able to bump it up by an extra £50,000 a week.”
Before the summer transfer window shuts, Ruben Amorim clearly wants to upgrade on Rasmus Hojlund, who scored 10 goals last season. The Red Devils have already strengthened their attack this summer with the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, spending a total of £133.5m.
Newcastle have shifted their focus to Sesko after Isak expressed his desire to leave St James’ Park amid interest from Liverpool. The current Premier League champions had their initial £110m bid for Isak turned down last week, but they are expected to come back with a second offer.
The Athletic has reported that United are exploring alternative options should they miss out on Sesko to Newcastle. Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson is one such player believed to be on their list, with the possibility of him leaving Stamford Bridge if a fair offer is made.
Additionally, French publication L’Equipe has suggested that Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani is another potential recruit for United. Juventus were initially seen as the frontrunners for Muani’s signature, but complications have reportedly arisen in the negotiations.
Sesko was notably absent from Leipzig’s squad for their pre-season match against Atalanta on Saturday.
When asked about the reason behind the striker’s omission, head coach Marcel Schafer stated that the point was “obvious”.
“We won’t go into detail on that, but when I say that several clubs have shown strong interest and have made approaches, it’s obvious what has happened,” he added.