Manchester United and Newcastle had been locked in a heated scramble over RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in recent days.
Newcastle had tabled offers climbing to €90 million including add‑ons, which RB Leipzig reportedly accepted – but all the while, Sesko has made clear his preference is to complete a transfer to Manchester United, where a deal is now done.
Earlier in the summer, Arsenal too had been in “concrete talks” over a big-money move for the Slovenian before switching their attention to Viktor Gyokeres.
So why are United and others willing to break the bank for Sesko?
At just 22 years of age, Sesko has emerged as one of Europe’s most talked‑about young strikers.
Standing around 6 ft 5ins, he combines his towering physical presence with surprisingly fine technical gifts – an athletic, powerful centre‑forward comfortable with either foot and routinely capable of smart link‑up play.
His trajectory was forged at Red Bull Salzburg, where he netted 21 goals in 55 Austrian Bundesliga matches, before moving to Leipzig in mid‑2023 for €24 million.
Since joining Leipzig, he’s scored 27 league goals in 64 appearances, including 13 Bundesliga goals in 33 games in last season and 21 in all competitions.
His key statistics over the 2024/25 campaign include 13 goals, five assists 48 shots on target, and over 75 dribbles – underlining an all-round forward who blends pressing, ball‑carrying and finishing.
Naturally, having begun as Red Bull Salzburg before finding stardom in Germany, Sesko has drawn comparisons with Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland – another tall, athletic No. 9.
Yet Sesko has publicly emphasised his admiration for former Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, citing the Swedish legend’s combination of aerial dominance, hold‑up play and shooting power from either foot as stylistic influences.
At Old Trafford, manager Ruben Amorim is still trying to establish his trademark 3‑4‑3 system, which in his previous stop at Sporting CP was centred around pace and pressing from the front – with Gyokeres the star striker – and wide creativity.
Sesko fits the bill as the apex of that front three.
His aerial prowess makes him a natural target for crosses, set pieces and lofted switches; his athleticism and ability to run channels stretches defences; his hold‑up play brings teammates into the game; and his power from either foot makes him a constant scoring threat.
United have already signed Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo this summer, spending over £130 million between them. Both thrive as creative, technically gifted forwards capable of playing off a central striker.
Against that backdrop, Sesko becomes an ideal focal point: he can occupy centre‑backs, win duels and create space for Cunha and Mbeumo to exploit.
That is critical given United managed just 44 Premier League goals last season – the second‑lowest tally for any team not in the relegation places – and desperately need a central figure who can improve conversion and link play.
Comparisons with Rasmus Hojlund are stark.
In the 2024/25 Premier League season, Hojlund scored just four goals in 32 appearances, delivering a return widely judged as disappointing given the fee paid in 2023 (reportedly around £64 million plus add‑ons).
By contrast, Sesko’s 13 Bundesliga goals and 21 across competitions at Leipzig represent a forward playing consistently to or above expectation in a competitive European league.
Sesko’s aerial strength is among his standout attributes. He wins a high percentage of his duels, scores regularly with headers and offers a physical solution in the box.
But he also complements that with pressing intensity, the ability to carry the ball from deep and the tactical awareness to drop into between the lines and draw defenders.
His powerful finishing – especially inside the box – plus his ability to strike with both left and right foot offer a level of finishing versatility United have lacked.
Of course, a move at such cost brings risk. United previously made a similar bet on Højlund for a comparable fee just two summers ago and it hasn’t yet paid off.
Sesko is still in the early stages of his development. And while his underlying numbers and physical profile are elite, he must now adapt to the intensity and physicality of the Premier League under real pressure.
The financial outlay, plus pressure of expectation, pose genuine challenges.
Yet there is considerable reason for cautious optimism. His almost flawless technical and physical toolkit – an array of centre-forward attributes rarely seen in one young player – combine with Premier League-ready teammates in Cunha and Mbeumo.
His preference for United over Newcastle, despite Newcastle offering more, may reflect confidence in the club’s project and manager Amorim’s system seems tailor-made to maximise his strengths.
If Sesko can make the step as expected, he could transform United’s goal threat and link play virtually overnight. Scoring consistently around 20 goals in a Premier League season, while enabling Cunha and Mbeumo to flourish, would potentially restore Manchester United to top-five challengers after their historically poor 15th-place finish last term.
It may well be a high-stakes gamble, but it is one with huge return potential if this rising star reaches the level many scouts have believed he is capable of.
Amorim’s system gives him the platform to become a potent attacking focal point alongside Cunha and Mbeumo.
And while the investment is significant, the combination of fit, skillset and potential make it a calculated risk that could pay off richly.
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