Benjamin Sesko officially completed his move to Manchester United over the weekend, joining Arsenal new boy Viktor Gyokeres in the Premier League after both big-money strikers landed their Premier League moves
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Villarreal at Emirates Stadium on August 06, 2025 in London, England.
Viktor Gyokeres is reportedly earning thousands more than Benjamin Sesko in the Premier League
(Image: Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Benjamin Sesko is earning much less than fellow Premier League newcomer Viktor Gyokeres after rejecting a bigger salary elsewhere to join Manchester United.
Newcastle were keen to sign the Slovenian international and even offered him a higher salary to agree terms, but Sesko opted instead to join Ruben Amorin's project at Old Trafford.
Sesko joined United on a five-year deal after RB Leipzig accepted a bid of £66.4million with £7.6m in add-ons, bringing the total package to a whopping £74m. The 22-year-old will earn around £160,000 per week, just over £8.3m a year, making Sesko just the eighth highest earner at the club. Casemiro tops the pile, bringing in a whopping £350,000 each week and £18.2m annually.
Indeed, Sesko actually left money on the table as he agreed to work under Amorim in Manchester rather than Eddie Howe in the north east, such was his desire to join the Red Devils.
Gyokeres, meanwhile, joined Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon in July in a deal worth £64m. The Swedish striker, who formerly worked under Amorim in Portugal, had a wide range of European clubs chasing his signature, but he penned a five-year deal in north London.
The 27-year-old will become the fifth highest earner at Arsenal, raking in a hefty £200,000 per week or £10.4m a year. Only Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz earn more at the Emirates as things stand.
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal celebrates his goal during the pre-season friendly match between Arsenal and Athletic Club at Emirates Stadium on August 9, 2025 in London, England.
Viktor Gyokeres is already scoring goals in red and white
(Image: Mark Leech/Offside/Offside via Getty Images)
Sesko is therefore earning £40,000 less than his fellow newcomer. However, if United make the Champions League qualifying spots this season, then the Slovenian's wages will reportedly increase to £200,000 per week, putting him on par with Gyokeres after just one campaign.
Gyokeres is set to bring something that has been distinctly lacking at Arsenal in recent times - goals from a striker. While the Gunners were third in the top-scoring rankings last season, they still scored 22 fewer goals overall than they did in the 2023/24 campaign.
The hope at the Emirates is that it will be the determining factor in winning a first title in over 20 years. Gyokeres could well be the man for the job, given that he scored a whopping 97 goals in 102 matches to help lead Sporting to two league titles during his time with the club.
Discussing Gyokeres' signing and what he will bring, Arteta said: "Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels.
"He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat. We're excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to starting working with him."
Viktor Gyokeres of Arsenal (C) looks on during the Arsenal Open Training Session: Pre-Season Tour at Kai Tak Stadium on July 30, 2025 in Hong Kong, China.
Mikel Arteta is over the moon that he finally has his new number nine(Image: Yu Chun Christopher Wong/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
New Manchester United signings Bryan Mbeumo, Benjamin Sesko & Matheus Cunha pose together with team shirts prior to the pre-season friendly match between Manchester United and ACF Fiorentina at Old Trafford on August 9, 2025 in Manchester, England.
Sesko joins fellow new United stars Mbeumo and Cunha at Old Trafford
(Image: Ash Donelon/Manchester United via Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Sesko is also promising to bring goals and assists to Man United this season. In the 2024/25 campaign, the Red Devils managed only 44 goals - a serious decline compared to their last second-placed finish in 2021/22, where they scored 73.
With Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo already in the building at Old Trafford, Sesko joins a new-look front line that will be planning to turn United's fortunes around this season. During his short Leipzig career, the young forward scored 39 goals and assisted eight times in 87 games in all competitions.
Discussing his new club, Sesko said: "The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future. When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.
"From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions. I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together."
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