Man Utd have submitted an official bid for the RB Leipzig star in the summer transfer window.
It is just two years since Manchester United agreed a £72 million deal to sign Rasmus Hojlund from Atalanta. This summer, they are prepared to sell him for just £30m in an effort to claw back some of the money they hope to spend on Benjamin Sesko instead.
United have submitted an opening bid worth £73.85 million to sign the RB Leipzig star, with Sesko set to choose between them and Newcastle as he prepares to move to the Premier League this summer. United were hesitant to bid for the 22-year-old unless they received encouragement he would like to move to Old Trafford. The fact they have now submitted a formal offer suggests they are confident he will pick them.
It would be another huge victory for United in the summer transfer window if they convince Sesko to reject Newcastle for them. Eddie Howe's side will play in the Champions League this coming season, while United have just recorded their worst campaign in the modern history of the club.
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Ruben Amorim has made it clear he only wants to sign players who are committed to his project and who are fully invested in playing for United. Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo both dreamed of gracing Old Trafford when they were children, Sesko grew up idolising the club's former striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
If he moves to Manchester when he had a more lucrative offer to head to Newcastle, Sesko will have already won over many doubters within the fanbase. He will also earn further approval from Ruben Amorim, who is believed to have favoured the signing of a Premier League-proven striker this summer.
Amorim made it clear at the start of the window he wanted to sign those who had already shone in the English top-flight as he looked to improve the physicality and athleticism of his United squad. He feels there is less risk attached to signing those who have already proven themselves in the Premier League, while there will be plenty of uncertainty surrounding Sesko, regardless of who he signs for.
If he had it his way, the United head coach would have signed Ollie Watkins instead. The problem was Aston Villa made it abundantly clear their star striker is not far sale. They might not have been so stubborn had United offered a similar fee to sign him as the one they have put on the table for Sesko.
That was never going to happen for a player who turns 30 before the end of the year and United chiefs believe Sesko is the better investment, even if he might not have the same immediate impact. For the same reason Mikel Arteta wanted the Slovenian, there is a belief he has all the raw attributes to be moulded into the perfect striker for their style of play. Mind you, they said the same about Hojlund two years ago.
What it does show is United are buying players for the project rather than the coach. Amorim has joked he would like to be in charge for the next 20 years, but the harsh reality is that if they start the season poorly, he might not even get a full year in the job. That is obviously not the plan, though it would have to be a consideration if performances on the pitch didn't improve from the disaster of his debut campaign.
In a summer when United's failure to sell players is primarily down to the fact they no longer fit the system, it is telling that they now want to future-proof purchases with those who can fit a variety of tactics. Sesko might not be Amorim's dream signing, and maybe that is a good thing.
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