Manchester United Signs Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig
Manchester United has reached an agreement worth £73.7 million with RB Leipzig for the acquisition of Slovenian striker Benjamin Sesko.
The deal includes a guaranteed payment of £66.3 million, with the remaining amount contingent on performance-related add-ons.
Sesko is set to finalize the transfer by completing necessary formalities, including a medical examination scheduled for Friday, ahead of his move to Old Trafford.
The 22-year-old forward, who was also a target for Newcastle United, has netted 39 goals in 87 appearances for the German club.
This summer, United has already added forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to their roster for a combined fee of approximately £130 million.
The financial arrangements for these signings have been structured favorably, allowing United to continue investing in new talent. Additionally, Marcus Rashford's £325,000-a-week salary is being fully covered by his loan to Barcelona.
United also received £5 million from Chelsea after the latter withdrew from negotiations to sign Jadon Sancho.
Furthermore, the club is seeking £50 million for Argentine winger Alejandro Garnacho, who has attracted interest from Chelsea and has been informed that he can leave Old Trafford this summer.
Rasmus Hojlund, the club's main striker from last season, has been made available for transfer at a price of £40 million after scoring only 14 goals in the Premier League over two seasons.
Sesko's decision to join Manchester United deals a significant blow to Newcastle, who recently lost out on Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool and may also see their key striker, Alexander Isak, potentially move to Anfield.
Since his arrival in Germany, Sesko has emerged as the top scorer under the age of 23 in all competitions among players in Europe’s top five leagues, with 39 goals in 87 matches.
He currently leads Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham by one goal and is five goals ahead of Florian Wirtz, who transferred to Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen for £100 million this summer.
Sesko is known for his physical attributes—being tall, strong, and quick—along with his aerial prowess and finishing ability, drawing comparisons to Erling Haaland, not solely due to their shared history at RB Salzburg.
He was recorded as one of the fastest strikers in the Bundesliga, reaching speeds of 35.7 km/h, and boasted the highest aerial success rate among strikers who participated in at least 60 aerial duels.