
Manchester United
Premier League • England
Man Utd set sights on lethal striker with transfer ‘expected’, as key condition emerges

RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, Man Utd badge
Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko – who is ‘expected’ to leave the German club next summer.
Concerns have been raised about Man Utd‘s young strike force of Rasmus Hojlund, 21, and summer signing Joshua Zirkzee – who have two goals between them this season.
While the former missed the start of the season with a hamstring problem, the latter has scored just once in 10 appearances in all competitions since his £36million (€42.5m, $46m) move from Bologna in July.
As a result, the Red Devils – who have scored a paltry five Premier League goals in seven games this term – are said to be scouring the market for attacking reinforcements and Leipzig ace Sesko is now of interest to Erik ten Hag’s men.
The Daily Mail claims Sesko is likely to move on from the Bundesliga team at the end of this season, despite signing a new contract until 2029 this summer.
However, the 21-year-old will want to continue playing Champions League football and with United currently 14th in the Premier League, six points off the top four, the 6ft 5in forward may look elsewhere.
Arsenal were linked with the Slovenia international for much of the summer but were unable to get their man, and a number of other top European clubs are also monitoring the youngster’s progress.
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January move considered
TEAMtalk previously revealed that United and Arsenal were considering a January swoop for Sesko, who stayed put at Leipzig this summer as he felt it was best for his development.
That decision earned him a new, lucrative contract and we understand it also removed a release clause of €65m (£55.3m, $70.8m) from his deal.
Our sources understand there is a new release clause in place but he also has a ‘gentleman’s agreement’ with Leipzig that could allow him to leave the club in 2025.
The player himself, who scored 18 goals and notched two assists for Leipzig last season, gave little away when it came to the transfer speculation surrounding him.
In early October, he told La Gazzetta dello Sport: “I don’t comment on transfer rumours. I’m happy in Leipzig and that’s why I recently extended my contract. I want to achieve even more great things here, Leipzig wants to grow a lot and I want to accompany the team on this very intriguing journey.”
Sesko, who has scored six goals and bagged three assists in nine games this season, has also been the subject of interest from Chelsea and Bayern Munich.
It seems a transfer move next summer is more likely, particularly with the inflated prices that come with a January deal. But stranger things have happened in football.
Deja vu for Man Utd
United have once again been linked with a move for Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong – more than two years after they tried and failed to sign the Netherlands international.
The 27-year-old has been credited with interest from the Red Devils for practically every single transfer window in recent seasons but he is still pushing to stay at the Catalan outfit.
United youngsters Amad Diallo and Kobbie Mainoo are reportedly keen to extend their contracts at Old Trafford, TEAMtalk sources have revealed.
The 22-year-old and 19-year-old have impressed in recent times and the Red Devils are trying to get them to commit to new deals.
Plus, United are one of a number of sides tracking Norway and AZ Alkmaar left-back David Moller Wolfe, our sources can confirm.
But Chelsea are also keeping tabs on the 22-year-old, who joined AZ in the summer of 2023 and is under contract with the Dutch side until 2028.
In profile: the rise and rise of Benjamin Sesko
Sesko first started to make headlines when he scored 59 goals in 23 games in the Under-15 set-up at Slovenian side Krsko. He moved to Austria at the age of 16 and signed for Red Bull Salzburg in a deal worth €2.5million.
The striker immediately joined Salzburg’s partner club, FC Liefering, on loan for two seasons. He scored just one goal in his debut season before netting 21 goals in the 2020/21 season. Sesko returned to Salzburg and scored 29 goals over the following two seasons, helping the club win the Austrian Cup and two Austrian Bundesliga titles.
The 21-year-old completed a €24million move to RB Leipzig in the summer of 2023 and finished his debut season in Germany with 18 goals across all competitions. He also became the youngest ever player to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga games at the age of 20 years and 353 days.
In addition to his club form, the Slovenia international has 15 goals in 35 caps for his country and won their Footballer of the Year award in 2022. He is the youngest player and the youngest goalscorer in Slovenia’s history, having scored his first goal for the country against Malta in October 2021 at the age of 18 years, four months and eight days.
Sesko idolises Erling Haaland and has also been compared to the Manchester City forward due to his physicality, impressive technique and electrifying pace. He stands at 6ft 4in, while only six Bundesliga strikers recorded a faster running speed than Sesko’s 35.47kmph in the 2023/24 season.
“Such comparisons motivate me and give me energy,” Sesko said when asked about Haaland. “They do not represent pressure. I will listen and learn so I can be even better than he is. “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.”