Manchester United seem to be throwing all their cards on the table in a bid to sign Benjamin Sesko, but should this move fail to materialise, they could be forced into a red-faced U-turn
Manchester United have rejected the opportunity to sign Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic, as they push to sign RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. But the Red Devils could yet be forced into an embarrassing U-turn should a deal for Bundesliga ace collapse.
A No.9 has emerged as Ruben Amorim’s top target after the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Sesko is now the top priority at Old Trafford over other strikers such as Ollie Watkins, who is admired by Amorim in particular.
On Tuesday, a bid worth a potential £74million was tabled by United. However, a deal for the 22-year-old Slovenian won’t be easy, with Premier League rivals Newcastle also still in the mix and having offered more to Leipzig.
READ MORE: Man Utd draw up two-striker shortlist if Newcastle win Benjamin Sesko raceREAD MORE: Ruben Amorim’s two decisions hint next Man Utd transfer is already decided
Although Sesko expressed a preference for the Manchester club in the past, Amorim’s side could still return to Vlahovic if he ends up on Tyneside.
The Old Lady are keen to offload Vlahovic, who has just one year left on his current deal in Turin, and the player would like to depart himself. According to Tuttosport, the 25-year-old has seen a request to terminate his current deal with a £9m severance package rejected. Juve instead are asking for £21million to any potential suitors. Both AC Milan and United have been offered the striker, it’s claimed.
But the Premier League side turned their noses up at signing Vlahovic as they push to land 22-year-old Sesko.
Yet Eddie Howe’s side have submitted an improved offer worth over £70m for Sesko to rival United’s latest approach, with Sesko seemingly set to pick his ideal suitor.
United are continuing to search around for alternatives if they lose out on Sesko to the Toon. Alongside mooted marksmen such as Watkins and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, according to The Athletic, Vlahovic remains a possibility. It would be quite the 180-turn if United missed out on Sesko and went for the Serb.
It seems an inevitability that Amorim adds to what was a lacklustre forward line last season before the window closes, with £72m man Rasmus Hojlund simply not producing and understood to be available for £30m.
Captain Bruno Fernandes, who himself was linked with a move away from the club earlier this year, has called for change during their pre-season tour of the US, wishing for added competition and more signings.
“I don’t want to have a dig at anyone, but I think the club is doing the best they can in terms of all the financial situations they talk about,” began Fernandes, speaking after United’s 2-2 draw against Everton on Sunday. “I don’t know about it, I’m not involved in that. But obviously, it was crystal clear we needed more competition for the players that were here.
“We needed more quality to get everyone to step up a bit more and to have more to do to get into the starting line-up. I think that’s what the club and the manager are trying to do and hopefully we can get one or two players more to help with that.”
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Sky Sports discounted Premier League and EFL package
Sky has slashed the price of its Essential TV and Sky Sports bundle ahead of the 2025/26 season, saving members £192 and offering more than 1,400 live matches across the Premier League, EFL and more.
Sky will show at least 215 live Premier League games next season, an increase of up to 100 more.
