Manchester United have met with RB Salzburg forward Benjamin Sesko’s agents to discuss a potential move for the Slovenian.
Youngster Won’t Come Cheap – Manchester United Forced to Spend Big?
The club’s interest in Sesko has been labelled “concrete” and representatives from the Manchester side have had “direct contact” with the youngster’s team, according to Fabrizio Romano. However, if United want to facilitate a transfer this window, they will have to meet Salzburg’s hefty asking price attached to their player.
The Austrian club would prefer to cling onto their man for another season at least, which is why they have set a minimum fee of £55million to even consider letting him go – essentially pricing out any interested clubs.
#mufc have had direct contact with Benjamin Sesko's agents. United's interest is concrete. [@FabrizioRomano, YT]
— The United Stand (@UnitedStandMUFC) July 28, 2022
Manchester United are still looking to bolster their squad ahead of the forthcoming Premier League campaign next week with the addition of attacking reinforcements. The ongoing issue surrounding Cristiano Ronaldo, and his desire to leave the club, remains unresolved, meaning the Red Devils will head into the new season with Anthony Martial deployed as their main striker option.
Erik ten Hag’s side made moves in the transfer market in recent weeks with the additions of Tyrell Malacia, Christian Eriksen, and Lisandro Martinez. Negotiations between United and Barcelona for Frenkie de Jong are entering the twelfth week, with personal terms being the stalling factor in the Dutchman’s chance to play under his former manager.
The squad are still lacking that attacking depth that could see them compete amongst the best of the top-six sides. Sesko could provide depth to United whilst also fighting for a place in the starting XI, as he’s already proven his quality to play there.
Ronaldo not expected to be part of #MUFC squad that flies to Oslo later this afternoon for Atletico Madrid game tomorrow lunchtime/cryptic Instagram post/RB Salzburg striker Benjamin Sesko of interest but not at £55m/Ten Hag switches OT dug out positions https://t.co/OjH3W1MWQC
— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) July 29, 2022
Sesko: What Caught Ten Hag’s Eye?
Salzburg played United’s rivals, Liverpool, in a pre-season friendly on Wednesday, July 27, and despite the star-studded names on the pitch throughout the fixture, it was 19-year-old Sesko who took the headlines following his team’s win.
He scored the only goal of their 1-0 victory and proved to be a handful for Liverpool defenders Joe Gomez and Ibrahima Konate. Sesko has also been acknowledged by his national side last season, after being called up to the Slovenia senior squad for the side’s World Cup Qualifiers and contributing one goal in five games.
In the Austrian Bundesliga last season, Sesko played 24 matches, scoring five goals and assisting one. Even more impressively, in the Austrian Cup, he scored five goals in five games – talk about prolific.
He’s seemingly started this new campaign eager to add to his tally, by scoring and assisting a goal in the first game of the 2022/2023 season.
Manchester United Should Have Learnt From Past Mistakes
If Man United like what they see, they need to act quickly. In recent seasons, the Red Devils have been heavily linked with players before opting against the pursuit of their targets and then losing out on them to top European clubs.
For example, City forward Erling Haaland was regularly linked with a move to the red side of Manchester when fellow Norwegian Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was in charge, but United failed to bring the star to Old Trafford.
Similarly, Dortmund starlet Jude Bellingham went as far as having a tour around United’s training facilities, before opting for a move to the German club on the promise of more game time.