Manchester United are closing in on a significant summer acquisition, with RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško set to join the club despite a higher offer from Premier League rivals Newcastle United. The 22-year-old Slovenian international has expressed his clear preference to move to Old Trafford, a decision that appears to have tipped the scales in a tense transfer battle.
The competition for Šeško’s signature has been fierce. According to a report from The Athletic, Newcastle United initially submitted an offer of €75 million plus €5 million in add-ons. They later increased this bid to at least €80 million. Manchester United countered with a proposal worth €75 million plus €10 million in performance-related bonuses. In a final push, Newcastle tabled a bid of €82.5 million with an additional €2.5 million in add-ons, which RB Leipzig accepted. However, the striker’s desire to join Manchester United has proven to be the decisive factor, with talks now advancing to meet Leipzig’s financial expectations and finalize the deal.
Šeško’s choice is a major coup for United, especially as Newcastle could offer Champions League football. The move underscores a significant overhaul of United’s attack under new manager Ruben Amorim. The club has already invested heavily this summer, signing forwards Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. The addition of Šeško would push their spending on attacking players close to the £200 million mark.
Standing at an imposing 1.95m (6ft 5in), Šeško has drawn comparisons to strikers like Erling Haaland and Zlatan Ibrahimović due to his combination of height, speed, and powerful finishing. He enjoyed a productive 2024-25 season with RB Leipzig, scoring 21 goals across all competitions. Since joining the German club from sister side RB Salzburg in 2023, he has amassed 39 goals and eight assists in 87 appearances, according to career statistics. He also became the youngest player to score in seven consecutive Bundesliga games.
The pursuit of a top-tier striker was a priority for Manchester United after a season where their forwards struggled for goals. The combined Premier League tally of Rasmus Højlund and Joshua Zirkzee was just seven goals. Šeško’s impending arrival now casts doubt on the future of Højlund, with reports suggesting United would consider offers of around £30 million for the Danish striker, just two years after signing him for more than double that amount.
For Newcastle United, losing out on Šeško is another blow in what has been described as a “summer of discontent.” It marks another high-profile target, including Bryan Mbeumo and Liam Delap, who has been secured by a rival. The failure to land Šeško leaves the Magpies exposed, particularly following the departure of Callum Wilson to West Ham and amid uncertainty surrounding the future of Alexander Isak, who has reportedly been pushing for a move.
Šeško began his career at his hometown club in Slovenia before moving through the youth ranks at Krško and Domžale. He was signed by Red Bull Salzburg at 16 and honed his skills on loan at FC Liefering, where he scored 21 goals in 29 appearances in Austria’s second tier. He made his senior international debut for Slovenia at 18, becoming the nation’s youngest-ever player and, later, its youngest goalscorer. His signing represents a major statement of intent from Manchester United as they look to rebuild their squad for the upcoming season.
