Manchester United are prioritising a summer swoop for RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko and have already opened ‘formal talks’.
Renowned journalist David Ornstein has now revealed that the German side want around €75 million (£64.5m) guaranteed plus add-ons to sanction his sale.
Given Sesko’s explosive potential, Leipzig are also pushing for a sell-on clause to cash in again down the line.
Man United have already spent around £130m to secure Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo from Wolverhampton Wanderers and Brentford, respectively.
The Red Devils initially pursued Liam Delap and even tabled formal proposals, only to watch the young Englishman snub them for Chelsea.
Viktor Gyokeres and Victor Osimhen were other elite alternatives, but they recently completed their switches to Arsenal and Galatasaray.
The Gunners were frontrunners to snap up Sesko early in the summer, but they chose to turn their attention to Gyokeres.
United also made a late approach for Hugo Ekitike, but the young striker opted for a switch to Liverpool.
Convincing Leipzig to lower their demands will not be easy, as they are known for driving a hard bargain when selling star assets.
United will likely also want to pay the fee in multiple instalments to comply with the Profit & Sustainability Rules (PSR).
Ollie Watkins is another name on United’s shortlist, but Aston Villa have no interest in selling their main striker.
Standing tall at 6ft 5in, Sesko bagged 13 goals and five assists in 33 Bundesliga games last season, earning plaudits for his aerial dominance and thunderous strikes.
The 22-year-old is a raw talent, and United fans must be patient with him.
History shows that even the most talented players have struggled under the pressure of wearing the United shirt, but that is never a reason to stop investing in prodigious talent.
Signing future stars like Sesko could prove to be a masterstroke if he realises his potential in Manchester.
Stats from Transfermarkt.com
