Manchester United want to sign a striker this summerManchester United want to sign a striker this summer
Manchester United want to sign a striker this summer | Getty Images
Man Utd will look to sign a striker in the summer transfer window and have been linked with Benjamin Sesko.
Manchester United have been told how much it could cost them to sign RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko in the summer transfer window. Ruben Amorim hopes to add to his squad at the end of the season and has prioritised the addition of a striker to his playing squad.
It is understood United have budgeted for the summer without European football, though their budget could be greatly enhanced if they win the Europa League and secure a place in next season's Champions League. That is probably the only way they'd be able to afford Sesko, who has plenty of interest from the Premier League.
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United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have all been linked with a move for Sesko but it wouldn't come cheap amid reports of a hefty release clause if he is to leave RB Leipzig this year.
How much it would cost Manchester United to sign Benjamin Sesko
Benjamin Sesko won't be short of options if he decides to leave RB Leipzig in the summer, though there might not be many teams who can actually afford to sign him. The 21-year-old has scored 10 goals in 23 Bundesliga appearances this season and has 17 goals in all competitions. It means a club would likely have to pay his release clause to sign him and the cost of doing so could rise if he reaches another landmark by the end of the campaign.
Sky Sports News claim Sesko's release clause can be activated this summer, but it has several variables tied to appearances, goals and assists that could cause it to rise. They say the release clause started at around £49.5m (€60m) and could rise to £66m (€80m) if certain conditions are met. It is reported to currently stand at £62m (€75m) after another productive season for RB Leipzig.
Manchester World revealed last month United are still interested in a move for Sesko, though it seems unlikely they will be able to secure one without Champions League football.
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United could have signed Benjamin Sesko for €2 million
United were first made aware of Sesko when he was playing for the U17s at Slovenian side NK Domzale and he was also impressing for the Slovenian U15 side. The club were made aware that Austrian side Red Bull Salzburg had placed a €2 million for the teenage talent, but United would only authorise an initial offer of €1 million. United eventually raised their bid to €1.1 million, before it was taken to former director of football negotiations Matt Judge, who sanctioned a further €1.2 million offer.
It was never going to be enough to convince them to sell though and NK Domzale ended up selling Sesko to RB Salzburg for almost double the money United had offered. It proved to be a masterstroke as the Austrian club sold the striker to their sister side RB Leipzig for a reported €24 million and made a substantial profit on the low fee they initially paid.
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