Manchester United have contacted RB Leipzig over Benjamin Sesko after making the Slovenia star their No 1 striker target.
United have decided to pursue a deal for Sesko instead of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, but will face competition from Newcastle.
It’s understood that United have approached Leipzig via intermediaries to explore the possibility of signing Sesko who could be available to them for between £60-70million plus add-ons.
United would also consider a swap-plus-cash deal involving one of their players. Rasmus Hojlund could be used as a makeweight after struggling to justify his £72m transfer fee, and United are looking to offload their four ‘bomb squad’ players – Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Jadon Sancho who has played in the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund.
Having weighed up a move for Sesko or Watkins, United decided to channel their efforts into signing the 6ft 5in centre-forward who has scored 39 goals in 87 games for Leipzig, and 16 goals in 41 appearances for Slovenia.
It’s understood that United approached Villa over a deal in the region of £45m for Watkins, but their Premier League rivals did not want to sell and it would have taken a significantly higher offer to alter that stance.
Manchester United have made contact with RB Leipzig over signing striker Benjamin Sesko
The Red Devils are prioritising the Slovenian over Ollie Watkins, who was also on their shortlist
Ruben Amorim has tended to prefer Premier League experience but Sesko is highly rated
Sesko is significantly younger at 22 and lacks the Premier League experience Ruben Amorim would prefer after United paid more than £130m on Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, of Wolves, this summer.
But United’s director of recruitment Christopher Vivell is said to be a strong advocate for signing Sesko having previously worked at Leipzig and the player’s former club Red Bull Salzburg.
Newcastle will still hope they can persuade Sesko to move to Tyneside if Alexander Isak leaves for Liverpool after speaking to Leipzig and the player’s camp.
United had originally hoped to sign Liam Delap this summer, but the Ipswich striker moved to Chelsea instead.
A number of other strikers have been considered, but Isak and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson were deemed too expensive, and United sources have dismissed speculation over a swap deal involving Garnacho and Jackson.
Meanwhile, United are continuing to assess their goalkeeping options with Andre Onana currently ruled out with a hamstring injury.
Villa rejected an offer to take Emi Martinez on loan and United have also been linked with Paris Saint-Germain keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and John Victor of Botafogo.
