Many top Premier League clubs have spent the entire 2025 summer transfer window looking to upgrade their first-choice striker.
After Arsenal swooped for Viktor Gyokeres early in the registration period, and Liverpool snatched up Hugo Ekitike shortly after, the rumours continued to flow unabated.
Next in the spotlight is 22-year-old Benjamin Sesko of RB Leipzig, a top striker prospect who is coming off a stellar season where he showed significant development towards what many believe to be a sky-high ceiling. He scored 13 goals in the Bundesliga, plus eight more evenly split across domestic and European cup competitions.
After Arsenal moved in a different direction, Sesko has seemingly set his sights on fellow Premier League rivals Newcastle United and Manchester United, with his ultimate destination still very much up in the air.
The Sporting News details the latest news on where Sesko will sign, as the two English clubs battle it out for his signature before the 2025/26 season begins.
MORE: Did Arsenal make the right choice signing Viktor Gyokeres over Benjamin Sesko?
Benjamin Sesko transfer news, latest updates
According to multiple reports across England on August 5, both Manchester United and Newcastle have lodged bids for Benjamin Sesko.
The reports state that both clubs have also agreed to terms with the player individually, meaning the decision now falls with RB Leipzig to accept just one bid, or accept both and allow the player to decide his future.
According to Ben Jacobs of GiveMeSport, Man United’s bid is €75 million plus €10 million in potential add-ons, while Newcastle’s bid is €5 million higher on the fixed end. That could give Newcastle the edge, although that seems a small gap to bridge.
MORE: When does the Premier League’s 2025 summer transfer window close?
Will Benjamin Sesko sign for Newcastle?
It seems that Newcastle are hoping to get an answer from RB Leipzig quickly, as they are looking to secure a striker before turning attention to wantaway star Alexander Isak.
Multiple reports have indicated Isak has asked for a transfer, with Liverpool heavily linked. Such a deal could net Newcastle a significant sum of money, but they want to secure a replacement before letting him leave. The Magpies are dangerously thin at the striker position, with very few options behind Isak on the current roster.
Tabloid reports in England claimed through early August that Newcastle had informed RB Leipzig that they wished to work on this deal quickly. According to talkSPORT, they set a 48-hour deadline on August 4 to complete a deal. However, with United’s reported bid so close to Newcastle’s in value, the Magpies lose significant leverage in hurrying the process.
Will Benjamin Sesko sign for Man United?
United’s sudden presence in the Benjamin Sesko chase complicates things significantly for Newcastle, as the Red Devils look to continue improving their attack after the captures of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo earlier in the summer window.
However, the club’s interest in Sesko goes much further back than just the past few weeks. According to David Ornstein of The Athletic, United have been chasing Sesko since way back in 2019 when he was with NK Domzale as a 16-year-old.
Given United’s clear need for a striker in light of Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles last season, Sesko seems like a strong fit at Old Trafford. The difficulty would have been convincing the player to join a club with no European football this season and a project on hand, but given he has already reportedly agreed to terms with the club, that hurdle might have been cleared.
If Newcastle move on to other options due to their need to sort out a deal soon, United could be in the clear to make this happen. United even believe Sesko prefers a move to Old Trafford, but Miguel Delaney of The Independent cautions that the Red Devils will not get drawn into a bidding war, indicating their latest bid may be the highest they’ll go.
Arsenal pass on Benjamin Sesko, sign Viktor Gyokeres instead
Earlier in the transfer window, Arsenal found themselves chasing two strikers simultaneously, knowing they would likely have room for just one.
It seemed the Gunners were close to completing deals for both Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres, but ultimately chose to sign the latter from Sporting CP instead on a deal worth around €65 million.
The choice to pick Gyokeres over Sesko made sense for Arsenal’s current needs. The Gunners are thought to be a title contender both domestically and abroad, so moving for a 27-year-old goal scorer in his prime fits logically with their win-now attitude.
However, it also comes with risk. Gyokeres has his drawbacks, and given his age, there is much less potential upside than Sesko presents. Their loss could be Man United’s or Newcastle’s gain.
