Manchester United are interested in signing RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, but the Slovenian has already explained why he rejected the Red Devils in the past
A move for Benjamin Sesko to Manchester United appears unlikely – at least if the striker’s past comments are anything to go by. United have been searching for a new centre forward all summer, but have so far failed to secure a suitable signing.
They missed out on Liam Delap to Chelsea, Viktor Gyokeres to Arsenal and Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool, while efforts to land Victor Osimhen and Ollie Watkins have also come up short. As a result, they’ve turned their attention to Sesko – who was previously in talks to join Arsenal before negotiations stalled and the Gunners pivoted to Gyokeres instead.
RB Leipzig are believed to have lowered their asking price for Sesko, with the Slovenian striker now available for around £60million, according to BILD. However, any hopes United have of securing his signature may depend on whether Sesko has softened his stance on the club.
United made an approach for him in 2023 following his breakout season at Red Bull Salzburg, where he netted 18 goals in all competitions and attracted interest from several top European sides. In the end, Sesko opted for a move to Leipzig – and later hinted that United’s style of play had been a key factor in his decision to turn down a switch to Old Trafford.
“The thing is, I wasn’t really involved in these kinds of conversations [about which club I would sign for]. But I think it was better to come [to RB Leipzig],” he admitted in 2024.
“It was very important for me to go to a place that plays a similar style of football. I already knew what I had to do and didn’t have to go through a whole learning process again.”
After missing out on Sesko, the Red Devils turned to another highly rated but similarly unproven talent in Rasmus Hojlund, spending £72m on the young Dane. Two years on, however, the career trajectories of the two strikers have diverged significantly.
Sesko has gone from strength to strength, scoring 18 and then 21 goals in successive seasons for RB Leipzig. Hojlund, on the other hand, has struggled to find his footing.
After being thrown into a faltering United side, he has battled inconsistency and a lack of goals, and now appears likely to leave the club with his reputation diminished. Hojlund’s struggles suggest Sesko was right to pick Leipzig – a club where he could hone his skills and develop without the weight of expectation that comes with leading the line for a Premier League colossal like United.
Ironically, two years later, Sesko may yet make the move he once rejected. United’s head of scouting, Christopher Vivell, is a known admirer and has personally watched the Slovenian striker in action.
The 22-year-old could become the focal point of United’s new-look front line, joining recent arrivals Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to form a revamped attacking trio. The club have already splashed £133m this summer, and signing Sesko would take their total outlay close to £200m.
But with Marcus Rashford being shipped off to Barcelona and Hojlund heavily linked with an exit, reinforcements up front aren’t just a priority – they’re a necessity.
Sesko is not agitating for a move, and with his contract running until 2029, Leipzig are under no immediate pressure to sell. However, it’s understood that if their £60m valuation is met, they would be open to letting him speak with interested clubs.
The fee could represent a relative bargain in today’s market, but United had the chance to sign him for a fraction of that price just a few years ago. Back in 2021, then-manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer recommended the club move for the then-18-year-old, who was available for just £2.5m. United declined, viewing the deal as too risky.
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