Benjamin Sesko at Manchester United.placeholder image
Benjamin Sesko at Manchester United. | Getty Images
Newcastle United missed out on the signing of Benjamin Sesko earlier this month as Manchester United swooped in to sign the striker.
Newcastle co-owner Jamie Rebuen led the transfer pursuit of Sesko, flying over to Germany in a bid to get the transfer over the line following a bid worth around £70million.
Had the deal come to fruition, it would have marked a club record purchase for Newcastle, smashing the £63million paid for Alexander Isak to Real Sociedad in 2022.
But, like many transfers this summer, the Newcastle move failed to materialise as Manchester United were able to agree a deal for the Slovenian.
Sesko was tipped as a potential Isak replacement for Newcastle after the striker had signalled his intention to leave the club and join Liverpool. But Sesko is now a Manchester United player and Isak is still contracted to Newcastle despite being on strike for the season opener at Aston Villa on Saturday.
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Benjamin Sesko gets ‘dream move’ after NUFC snub
Although Newcastle were first linked with Sesko back in 2022 following his agent, Elvis Basanovic’s, visit to Tyneside before Isak’s arrival at the club.
Basanovic posted teasing images of Newcastle’s Quayside and Airport on his public Instagram account amid talks with Newcastle. Sesko ended up joining RB Leipzig instead, in what turned out to be an obvious move from Red Bull Salzburg.
After 39 goals in 87 appearances for the Bundesliga club, Newcastle made a move for Sesko this summer and had even reportedly reached an agreement over personal terms. But the striker made a swift U-turn once Manchester United’s interest became concrete.
Speaking to Slovenian station POP TV, Basanovic said: "It's hard to say exactly. Whenever a deal doesn't go through, there are always several factors. In the end, everything has to align for it to happen. What's important here is that Benjamin's wish, for years now, has always been [Manchester] United.
“And for United, he was even willing to take a pay cut to make the move happen. As his agent, I wanted to make that wish come true. We visited their academy when he was just 15. Even then, we were planning this move for the future. At the time, we didn't want him to go [when he was] so young.
"In recent years, we stayed in contact but we told them our plan - two years in the Bundesliga, to prepare for the future in the Premier League. We're delighted the plan worked.
“We were in contact with Man United's negotiations director, Matt Hargreaves, who was a ruthless negotiator. In the last 10-15 days, they followed my every step, and the talks took place in three different countries and six different cities."
Man Utd deliver Liverpool transfer blow in Alexander Isak knock-on impact
Manchester United hijacking Newcastle’s move for Sesko has thwarted Isak’s potential exit.
The Magpies won’t sanction a sale for Isak without a suitable replacement in place. And with just two weeks left of the window, time is running out for both Newcastle and Liverpool to strike respective deals.
Newcastle are pushing to sign Yoane Wissa from Brentford but the 28-year-old is viewed as a replacement for the departed Callum Wilson rather than Isak himself.
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