Insider: Man Utd ‘definitely an option’ for Haaland-esque frontman who dreams of Premier League move

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·23 Juli 2025

Insider: Man Utd ‘definitely an option’ for Haaland-esque frontman who dreams of Premier League move

Manchester United are strongly considering a move for highly-rated RB Leipzig starlet Benjamin Sesko after Arsenal decided to end their pursuit.

A failure to agree on financial terms led to the Gunners turning their attention away from Sesko and towards Viktor Gyokeres, whom they have now sealed a deal for.

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Sesko, however, still has his heart set on a Premier League move, and with Leipzig desperately trying to raise funds through player sales, his exit could still yet materialise.

Benjamin Sesko: The state of play this summer

(Photo by Maja Hitij/Getty Images)

The main reason Arsenal pulled out of the race this summer was due to Leipzig standing firm in their valuation, as well as the player’s costly wage demands.

It has left United mulling over whether they could facilitate Sesko’s arrival amid INEOS’ ongoing search to sanction the addition of a prolific goalscorer. The Slovenian international boasts an impressive 68 goals in his senior career thus far (39 in 87 appearances for Leipzig and 29 in 79 for Salzburg) and, given he’s only 22 years old, it’s safe to say he’s far from the finished product.

That being said, his age would evoke some concern in fans in the event United’s interest materialised. The club’s pursuit of a centre-forward is due to Rasmus Hojlund’s lacklustre form last season, in which he recorded only four Premier League goals in 32 matches across the entire campaign.

Filling the squad with young talents is all good and well until they come up against an organised side – where chances in front of goal are few and far between – and they’re unable to find the end product in the way a more experienced frontman, such as Ollie Watkins, might.

What’s being said about Sesko to United in Germany?

Nonetheless, supporters will be anticipating further clarification over INEOS’ potential swoop for Sesko in the coming weeks. Until then, Bundesliga insider Christian Falk has shed some light on the situation from his point of view.

“When one door closes, another opens! Arsenal have withdrawn their pursuit of Benjamin Šeško, which creates an opportunity for Manchester United,” Falk revealed in his Fact Files column via CaightOffside’s Daily Briefing.

“The Red Devils weren’t in the front row for the club and player. However, there’s a key executive involved in all of this – Christopher Vivell, United’s head of scouting. He’s previously worked for RB Leipzig, and he’s now supporting the potential deal. Vivell’s also been watching the situation develop since April. He was at the match between Leipzig and Wolfsburg to scout Šeško again. The striker (22) is still very, very young. He can leave with a good offer; I think Leipzig are willing to talk if they receive a fee closer to €70m [£60.6m].

“It’s worth noting that Leipzig have to sell players this summer. They have a target to bring in €100m [£86.6m], and they have just two players in this range who can make the club money. Xavi Simons, of course, is one such footballer, with the other being Benjamin Šeško. So, it could be that the club has to sell both players in this summer’s transfer window. That’s why Manchester United will definitely be an option.

“Šeško is a fan of the Premier League and is prepared to make this next step. He has a lot of self-confidence – he’s on record as telling reporters that he believes he’s similar in profile to Erling Haaland: ‘My teammates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed. Most of them even tell me that I’m better than him.’ So, you see, he’s not afraid of big names or big clubs! I think this transfer can gather some pace now that Arsenal are no longer at the table.”