Newcastle United have jumped ahead of Manchester United in the race to sign RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, according to The Daily Mail.
The Red Devils are eyeing a new striker during the transfer window, and they have looked at multiple names over the past few weeks.
Sesko has emerged as a prime target in the last few days, but the Slovenian could be on his way to the Magpies, as per the latest update.
The Daily Mail claim that Newcastle are now ‘pushing’ to agree a deal with Leipzig for Sesko, who has given the green light to join the club.
Champions League football may have played a big role in his decision.
It is unclear what Sesko’s camp have informed the Red Devils, but all possible outcomes are still likely at the current point.
Newcastle are eager to find a solution to the Sesko saga over the next 24 hours.
The Magpies have already tried to secure a deal worth £70 million, including add-ons for the striker, and may have to improve on this.
United need to respond with a formal bid soon
Sesko is one of the best young strikers in European football and has been likened to Erling Haaland for his ball-striking potential.
The 22-year-old is also gifted with plenty of pace on the counter-attack and can also provide a strong aerial presence in the box.
He seems perfectly suited for the Premier League, and there are no surprises that United and Newcastle are keen to land his services.
The Magpies have clearly jumped ahead in the race with an opening bid, and are now pushing tonight to secure the striker’s transfer.
The onus is now on United to make a formal bid matching Newcastle’s offer, or they risk missing out on landing Sesko’s signature
The striker is open to joining either club, and ultimately, it could come down to which club offers the better financial package on the table to Leipzig.
United can afford to spend big on Sesko, provided they can recoup funds from player sales before June next year to avoid breaching the Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Hence, PSR can’t be termed as a possible excuse. United need to clearly show ambition in the next 24 hours to avoid missing out on another striker target this summer.