Newcastle have been left frustrated in their pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko with the Bundesliga side rejecting an offer from the Premier League club
13:51, 03 Aug 2025
Alexander Isak
Alexander Isak's move to Liverpool has taken a hit
Newcastle's attempt to sign RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko has hit a snag.
The Magpies' hefty £65.5m bid, plus over £4m in add-ons, failed to sway the Bundesliga club, despite Manchester United also showing interest in the Slovenian ace.
Sesko was notably absent from RB Leipzig's squad for their friendly against Serie A team Atalanta on Saturday, sparking rumours of Newcastle's bid. While the Toon's upfront fee reportedly matched Leipzig's valuation, the overall deal didn't cut the mustard in terms of its total and structure.
The German side are keeping their fingers crossed for an offer from Manchester United, having already had discussions with both the player and the club. Sesko is still weighing up his options, with Arsenal also previously expressing interest.
Leipzig's frontman is tied down until 2029 and his agent, Elvis Basanovic, has hinted that his client is after a "special project with a special coach". This delay in proceedings will hardly be music to Liverpool's ears.
Benjamin Sesko
Benjamin Sesko could be on the move this summer(Image: Getty Images)
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The Reds had their own bid knocked back when they tabled a whopping £110m offer to Newcastle for Alexander Isak.
The Magpies didn't give much hope for the Anfield side to make a comeback for their star, who's rumoured to be worth £150m, but Liverpool's chances could be revived if Eddie Howe manages to secure a new striker, reports the Mirror.
Isak is set to head back to Newcastle after skipping his team's pre-season tour of Asia and training with his old club, Real Sociedad. However, the future of the Swedish international remains up in the air, with rumours that Liverpool might swoop in if the Magpies secure a replacement.
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Newcastle manager Howe spoke about Liverpool's unsuccessful bid, stating: "I was made aware of a bid yesterday (Friday) and that bid was turned down, all before I'd even heard about it."
He added, "People back in England are dealing with the situation. I don't know what happens next. From our perspective, we still support Alex in every way and my wish is that we see him in a Newcastle shirt again."
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Liverpool's plans could be thwarted by their age-old rivals Manchester United. The Red Devils initiated talks for Sesko last week via intermediaries, discussing a potential deal.
They're expected to ramp up negotiations once they return from their three-match US tour.
Despite the hefty price tag likely involved, and United's aim to offload several players before the summer transfer window shuts, they have the capacity to sign a striker without making a sale.