Man United reach breakthrough in pursuit of Benjamin Sesko, agree £73.7m fee with RB Leipzig
Manchester United are inching closer to signing Slovenian international Benjamin Sesko after reaching a breakthrough in their pursuit of the in-demand striker.
New Delhi: Manchester United have reportedly won the race to sign Benjamin Sesko, one of the top young strikers in Europe, after a deal worth €76.5million (£66.4m; $89.1m) and €8.5m in add-ons was agreed with Bundesliga club RB Leipzig.
According to The Athletic, the agreement between the two clubs was reached on Thursday, August 07, and the striker can now travel for medical tests ahead of the proposed move.
With Newcastle United also in the hunt to sign the in-demand player, United, on Tuesday, had launched an official bid worth just under £74m (€85m) for the Slovenian international.
Following the high-profile signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, Sesko would be another big swoop for the Red Devils, who, despite finishing 15th in the league and having no Champions League football, remain a massive draw for the players.
United's spending set to cross £200m
United signed Cunha (from Wolves) and Mbeumo (Brentford) this summer for a combined fee of around £130m. Sesko's arrival will take the club's spending past £200m.
Sesko's arrival could end Rasmus Hojlund's tumultuous spell at United, who are willing to accept offers worth close to £30m for their main striker from last season. Hojlund has struggled to find his best form in the Premier League since joining from Serie A club Atalanta in 2023, scoring just 14 Premier League goals in two seasons.
The 20-time champions can also raise around £50m by selling Alejandro Garnacho, who has emerged as a top target for Chelsea. The young Argentine winger has been told he can leave Old Trafford this summer, and a move to Stamford Bridge looks highly likely.
Sesko's decision to choose the Manchester club is yet another massive blow to Newcastle, who also missed out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool and face seeing their main striker, Alexander Isak, leaving the club.
Sesko has emerged as one of the most appealing players in the transfer window. He scored 39 goals in 87 games for RB Leipzig since joining from Red Bull Salzburg two years ago.