Man Utd are still in the race to sign Benjamin Sesko before deadline day of the summer transfer window.
The very fact Benjamin Sesko has not decided which club he would like to play for next season might be enough of a red flag for Ruben Amorim.
Manchester United have already spent £127 million to bring both Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo to Old Trafford this summer and will need to bring the total close to £200m if Sesko is to join them. Newcastle saw an opening offer for Sesko rejected over the weekend, but are understood to have submitted an improved bid worth £78.5 million for his signature.
The finances of a deal are not the problem. United are confident they can finance a move if required, though there are reservations over spending such a large sum on a player who is not a guaranteed upgrade on what they already have at their disposal. Amorim has made it his preference to sign Premier League-proven quality this summer; Sesko is still an unknown quantity.
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Sesko has netted 39 goals in 87 appearances for RB Leipzig and is younger than Rasmus Hojlund. The Dane had scored 10 goals in 34 appearances for Atalanta before he completed his move to Manchester just a couple of summers ago. If United want a raw striker with untapped potential, you could argue they already have one.
The other key difference is their hunger. United are prepared to take a financial hit on Hojlund to fund a move for Sesko, but the striker wants to fight for his Old Trafford future. He is adamant he wants to play for United. Amorim should admire that at the very least.
"It's Manchester United," the Portuguese head coach stated back in April. "Every player wants to play for Manchester United. If you look at our club in the moment, with all the problems, including changing coach, it looks a little bit of a problem. But we have a clear idea and that's the easiest part to explain for a player."
Amorim has made it clear he only wants to sign players who are fully committed to the club and who have bought into his project, as well as the wider plan to try and win the Premier League title to coincide with their 150th anniversary in 2028. Cunha and Mbeumo both jumped at the chance to sign for the club they dreamed of representing as a child. Sesko has kept his options open and not identified a priority move.
It is fair to argue that the Slovenian is just doing the sensible thing and considering all opportunities this summer, while he might also argue he has not had enough encouragement from United to stick his neck out on the line and make them his transfer priority. The counter-argument is that United shouldn't feel they should have to do that to lure him to the club.
If United only want to sign players who are desperate to play for the club, then perhaps the striker they already have is the better fit.
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