Manchester United’s summer overhaul took another step towards completion after they struck a £73.8million deal with RB Leipzig for Benjamin Sesko.
Sesko has been on United’s radar for the past six years but he now finally looks set to make the move to Old Trafford after being given permission to travel to Manchester for a medical.
Daily Mail Sport understands United have agreed a deal worth an initial £66.4m, with a further £7.4m in add-ons.
Newcastle United offered more to RB Leipzig but the player’s preference to join Manchester United was decisive in finding a quick resolution to the situation this week.
The 22-year-old will arrive to complete a total overhaul of Ruben Amorim’s attack for the upcoming season, with Matheus Cunha arriving from Wolves for £62.5m and Bryan Mbeumo joining from Brentford in a deal worth £71m.
Sesko is viewed internally at United as having superstar potential and he will look to kick on after scoring 21 goals in all competitions for RB Leipzig last season.
Since moving to Germany from Red Bull Salzburg Sesko has scored 39 goals and added eight assists in 87 games.
United have stayed tight-lipped throughout the pursuit of the Slovenia international, who has been capped 41 times by his country, allowing Newcastle to dictate the early stages of the bidding process.
Newcastle made two attempts to strike a deal for the 22-year-old before Manchester United officially entered the bidding on Tuesday.
The North East side had identified Sesko as a replacement for Alexander Isak, who is focused on joining Liverpool this summer.
The Merseysiders have already had a £110m bid for Isak rejected and are unlikely to return with a better offer until Newcastle have a new striker in place.
Manchester United, meanwhile, have been keen to sign a centre-forward this summer after seeing original No.1 target Liam Delap opt for Chelsea, and Hugo Ekitike and Viktor Gyokeres go to Liverpool and Arsenal respectively.
What a move for Sesko does now do is raise serious questions over the future of Rasmus Hojlund, who could be attainable for £30m.
AC Milan are exploring whether that’s a financially viable deal, after Inter Milan earlier in the summer went in a different direction. Hojlund spoke on pre-season of how he wants to stay and fight for his place.
‘I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot whatever happens,’ Hojlund said after scoring in the 4-1 win over Bournemouth in Chicago.
‘Competition is fine with me, it sharpens me,’ he added.
‘I’m more than ready. I’m feeling sharp so I’m welcoming everything that comes. I think it’s good with competition and it only sharpens the team.
‘I’m still very young. I think people forget that sometimes, I’m only 22. Obviously, not every striker is scoring 100 goals at the age of 22. But I’ve learned a lot, I think you can see in my game.
