Manchester United are closing in on the signing of Benjamin Sesko after agreeing a deal worth up to €85m with RB Leipzig.
The talented 22-year-old striker has been the subject of a tug of a war as the Red Devils and Newcastle both attempted to bolster their attacks ahead of the new season.
Sesko indicated to United that he favoured a move to them over the Magpies and they have now agreed a deal with Leipzig worth €76.5m plus a potential €8.5m in add-ons.
The Slovenia international has been granted permission to travel to Manchester to undergo a medical and complete the move.
The terms were subsequently tweaked, with United paying slightly more as an initial fee as part of the deal in principle struck with Leipzig.
Sesko is set to become the fourth signing of the summer as United look to hit back from finishing 15th last season – their worst top-flight campaign in 51 years – and losing the Europa League final to Tottenham.
Sesko's impending arrival raises fresh questions over the future of fellow frontman Rasmus Hojlund, who has scored just 14 goals in 62 Premier League appearances since joining from Atalanta in 2023.
The striker, who like the Slovenian is 22, has rarely justified his lofty fee and has been linked with an exit, but the Denmark international recently stressed that he wants to stay at Old Trafford.
United have been trying to sign a striker throughout this window and made Sesko their priority over Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, having been interested in Liam Delap and Hugo Ekitike before their summer moves.
Newcastle also held an interest in the pair and missing out on Sesko is another blow in a frustrating summer window that has been compounded by the situation surrounding Liverpool’s pursuit of Alexander Isak.
The 25-year-old missed Newcastle’s Asian tour with what the club called a "minor thigh injury" but it soon emerged he was unsettled and training at former club Real Sociedad.
Boss Eddie Howe claimed he only found about Isak’s whereabouts through the media, with the Sweden international made to train by himself in Tyneside on Wednesday.
