Rasmus Højlund has been linked with a possible move to the German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig amid Manchester United’s pursuit of Benjamin Šeško.
Manchester United have reportedly made RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško their top target to strengthen the centre-forward position this summer.
With Matheus Cunha joining from Wolves, Bryan Mbeumo arriving from Brentford, and highly rated 18-year-old left-back Diego León signed from Cerro Porteño, the club are now focused on bringing in a natural No.9.
Bruno Fernandes finished last season as United’s top scorer with 19 goals in all competitions, but only three other players reached double figures. That has reinforced the need for a consistent goal threat up front.
Rúben Amorim is prioritising the addition of a central striker ahead of the new campaign, and Šeško has emerged as the leading candidate with less than a month left in the transfer window.
The 22-year-old Slovenian forward scored 21 goals for RB Leipzig in the 2024/25 season and has been on United’s radar for some time.
Højlund’s stance on Leipzig transfer
Amid United entering into concrete discussions with Leipzig surrounding the conditions of a potential deal, they reportedly requested that United’s current No. 9, Rasmus Højlund, be part of the deal.
The Danish striker is seen as a “dream” transfer by Leipzig, who have been exploring the conditions of a loan deal amid Højlund’s uncertain future at United.
However, reports have emerged that Højlund does not want to leave the club for Leipzig this summer and will not change his mind unless he is told he must go to make way for a new striker – a stance he has also publicly expressed.
“Nothing so far; I think the most important [thing] for me is just to keep working hard and stay focused, and then obviously we’ll see what happens,” Højlund said in the United States when asked what United have told him about his future.
“I think my plan is very clear, and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens.”
United respond to Højlund’s public claim
Despite Højlund being adamant that he has not been told he must leave this summer and is determined to stay at Old Trafford, reports from Saturday evening suggest otherwise.
It was widely claimed in British media that United would be willing to sell the Danish international at a loss on their profit and sustainability rule (PSR) books to ensure he is sold.
Højlund’s current PSR value stands at £38.4 million, but United are said to be willing to let him leave for around £30 million in the coming weeks.
As for the potential Šeško deal, this adds an interesting layer. Newcastle had a bid of around £65.5 million, plus £4.3 million in add-ons, rejected for the player, but it has been suggested that Leipzig are happy with the initial fee.
If Šeško were to indicate to United that he wants to sign for Amorim’s side this summer, United could instead use Højlund as a make-weight to offer Leipzig a deal of Højlund plus £35 million, then throw in a higher number of add-ons than Newcastle’s initial proposal to seal the transfer.
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.