Manchester United’s decision to prioritise a move for Benjamin Sesko in the summer transfer window symbolises a shift in the club’s habits
RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko(Image: Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Manchester United’s pursuit to sign a new centre-forward appeared to be leaning in the direction of Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins this summer.
However, a swerve on Wednesday has seen the Reds change course and they are now prioritising a move for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko instead. The 22-year-old is highly thought of by the director of recruitment Christopher Vivell and has already been compared to Erling Haaland.
Were this deal to be confirmed, he would not be the first player brought to Old Trafford in recent years who has been compared to the Manchester City talisman. Rasmus Hojlund was also given this rather unenviable title and suffered last season after a mixed start to life at the club.
As mentioned by our Chief United writer, Sesko is younger than Hojlund but the expectations are still plentiful for the striker. It has been too long since the Reds have had a striker capable of 20 Premier League goals and the Slovenian is being tasked with ending that streak.
But choosing to focus your energy on Sesko instead of Watkins, whether Villa wanted to sell the Englishman or not, speaks volumes for the team which Ineos are trying to build. There was relative security in the idea of signing Watkins.
Aston Villa insist that Ollie Watkins is not for sale(Image: Molly Darlington/Copa, Getty Images)
He is proven in the Premier League and could perhaps continue scoring at Old Trafford. Such a pedigree comes with a price tag and he would have likely cost similar to Sesko despite having just two years remaining on his deal in the West Midlands.
What United are showing is that they are wanting to invest in players that have plenty of potential rather than those who are heading towards the final stages of their career. When those two options are put to Ineos, it appears they would prefer to go with the former rather than the latter.
Considering the situation United are in, the move also speaks volumes as to the standing the club has in world football still. When the Reds lost that Europa League final plenty of people, myself included, questioned whether United could still attract players who are wanted by Champions League clubs.
It seems that fear was unfounded. While Viktor Gyokeres may have gotten away, United have shown they still have that pull which makes some of the top, emerging talent want to join.
Of course, this deal is not yet done and United still have work to do to ensure it is completed – chief of which is making it absolutely certain that the transfer is financially affordable. However, the Reds are looking to make another standout signing in a window which could have easily gotten away from them.
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