Newcastle have been handed yet another transfer market blow amid Benjamin Šeško’s openness to sign for Manchester United this summer.
Manchester United have now set their sights on signing a new centre-forward, with Rúben Amorim aiming to further strengthen his frontline ahead of the new campaign.
Bruno Fernandes was the club’s top scorer last season with 19 goals, while just three other players managed to reach double figures across all competitions.
To address their attacking shortcomings, United have invested £127.5 million in Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who scored 15 and 20 Premier League goals respectively last season.
Both players have joined up with the squad and are currently training with their new teammates in the United States. With the wide areas reinforced, Amorim has now turned his attention to bringing in a striker, with reports naming Benjamin Šeško as the club’s preferred option.
Newcastle handed Šeško transfer blow
Newcastle have been handed a blow in their pursuit of Benjamin Šeško, with the striker still open to joining United despite the lack of Champions League football, according to Fabrizio Romano.
The Italian journalist and transfer expert explained on his YouTube channel that while Newcastle are prepared to meet both RB Leipzig’s asking price and Šeško’s salary demands, the player has not yet made a final decision, and United remain firmly in the race.
Romano reports that United are now holding detailed talks with Šeško, focusing not just on finances but on the club’s project and long-term vision for him. The striker is said to be very open to the move, and the discussions are described as “absolutely concrete.”
Šeško is continuing conversations with Newcastle, who can offer him top-level European football and a central role in their team. However, his willingness to seriously consider United indicates that Newcastle’s financial position alone may not be enough to seal the deal.
A final decision from the player is expected in the coming days. After United were able to sell their project to both Cunha and Mbeumo, who also opted to sign for Amorim over joining Newcastle, the Gordie side may find itself back in the market for an alternative next week.
Amorim’s project is coming together
After Cunha and Mbeumo both signed on to become central pieces in the Old Trafford club’s latest project, this undoubtedly gives Amorim the upper hand in negotiations.
While previous arguments that Newcastle may be a better place for Šeško to develop his game in an environment with less pressure, as Rasmus Højlund’s failures have shown, United is not an easy place to grow, the two above talents provide Šeško with a cushion.
The goalscoring burden dealt to Højlund has become too much for the Dane to handle at United, but with Cunha and Mbeumo set to take on a significant bulk next season, this would allow Šeško much more time to hone his skills in a way Højlund was not afforded.
If he were to sign, it would likely be for a package totalling around £60-70 million, including add-ons, which would come with a high level of expectation.
However, if United continue to improve and play the football they have been showing in pre-season, Šeško could view Amorim’s side as the perfect project to join to take part in one of the most ambitious rebuilds in Premier League history.
Make sure to follow UtdDistrict on X, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok to never miss out on any of our Manchester United content. Our podcast, What the Devil?, is streamed live every Thursday at 12:30 pm (BST) on the United View YouTube channel.