Man Utd’s number one target – is this finally the summer of Sesko?

He excels in front of the goal, he says. He is positive all the time. He is relentless”.

You can see why Premier League clubs are interested in Benjamin Sesko, a £70 million striker from Leipzig.

The Slovenia international has been linked to English football for years, despite only being 22; could that be the summer he decides to move?

Manchester United have made him their top striker target, while Newcastle United also want him – if Alexander Isak leaves.

Before they signed Sporting’s Viktor Gyokeres, he had a long-standing relationship with Arsenal. Plus, Chelsea (who isn’t, though?)? ).

Sesko has been compared to Erling Haaland in terms of size, strength, speed, air play, and finishers, and not just because they both played for Salzburg.

Sesko has scored goals. No one in his era’s age has allowed more goals in the last two seasons (more on that later).

But last season he became more of an all-rounder, with 9.7% of his touches coming in the opposition box – compared with 17% the season before.

He expanded his involvement in midfield and on both wings.

He had the best aerial success rate of all strikers in at least 60 of them and was one of the Bundesliga’s fastest at 35.7 km/h.

A recruitment specialist working at the highest level recently spoke to BBC Sport reporter Alex Howell about Sesko, who stands at 6ft 5in tall.

The source who spoke to the public described him as “so athletic, big, physical, and strong.”

“I don’t think he’ll be overawed by the Premier League’s physicality,” he said.

” When you look at some players in Europe, where the tempo is slower, you see them struggle to transition to bigger leagues.

And what are some other qualities of Sesko, who idolised former Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic when he was younger?

The hiring expert said, “He is clinical, he can drop in into space.”

“His ability to get the ball quickly is one of his strengths.” He can hold it, hold defenders off, he can give it to the winger, he can give it to the 10.

He excels in front of the goal, he says. He is positive all the time. He is relentless”.

You wouldn’t expect him to immediately hit the ground running, but you can expect him to be fine in six to twelve months.

Lukas Vrablik, a renowned expert on central European football, said: “I believe Sesko has the talent to play for one of Europe’s best sides.” He can be a big asset. He is also a player who will grow.

Sesko joined Leipzig from sister club Salzburg in 2023 after spending the previous two seasons there.

That was a deal that had been agreed and announced in the summer of 2022 – making him unavailable for any English sides.

In those two seasons, he has scored 39 goals (plus eight assists) in all 87 games, including a league-high 27 in 64.

In the Champions League, six of those goals were scored.

Since moving to Germany, Sesko is the top goalscorer currently aged under 23 in all competitions, of players who are based in Europe’s top five leagues.

Florian Wirtz, who left Bayer Leverkusen for £100m this summer, is one step ahead of Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham and is five clear of him.

Vrablik remarked, “I don’t think he was as good as he was last year, but that was also influenced by Leipzig’s poor team performance.”

“There are big expectations for him as a striker. He is causing a lot of hype.

Sesko also demonstrated clinical finishing in his time in Germany.

Only six forwards have scored more goals in the Bundesliga in the past two seasons, even though Sesko is 16th for expected goals, 14th on shots and 22nd on touches in the opposition box.

Sesko has already played senior football for Red Bull teams in Europe, leaving home at age 16 for Salzburg.

He scored 22 goals in 44 games for Salzburg’s feeder club, Liefering, in Austria’s second tier, while also scoring 22 goals in two seasons.

Some 21 goals of those came in 2020-21, having only netted once the season before.

And from there, he joined Salzburg, scoring 29 goals in 79 games over the course of his two-year playing career. In the final victory over Ried, he scored, winning the league twice, as well as the Austrian Cup.

Slovenian journalist Miran Zore said in 2024: “We kind of expected his success but no-one knew he was so special, except his agent, Elvis Basanovic, who tried to convince people about his potential.

He used to tell scouts and directors, “This is the next goal machine,” in messages.

Sesko himself was quoted as saying in 2022, “My team-mates at the club tell me that Haaland and I are very similar, especially in terms of speed.” The majority of them even claim to be superior to him.

Manchester City striker Haaland (who left Salzburg before Sesko’s debut) netted the same amount of goals for the Austrian club as Sesko – but the Norwegian only needed 27 matches, 34% of the amount Sesko played.

Perhaps his team-mates were just being nice, then?

Even so, that comment would provide some assurance from oneself.

“I hear from people in Slovenia who worked with him that he’s a really hard-working guy – and really confident”, said Vrablik.

He “has a healthy sense of self-assurance,” according to the striker.

Sesko has featured for his country at Euro 2024 and scored 16 goals in 41 games. Only three players have ever scored more for the former Yugoslav nation.

Former Slovenian international Miran Pavlin stated in a 2024 interview that: “He needs to focus on playing well and the transfer will come, if not this year, then in one or two years.”

Sesko’s departure from Leipzig is a definite possibility.

However, they have started a summer rebuild under new manager Ole Werner after failing to make it to Europe this year.

BBC Sport was told Sesko has an informal agreement with his club that he can leave if an elite team offer about £70m.

Sesko had a release clause of £55 million when he left Salzburg for Leipzig in 2023, but he changed his mind and signed a new long-term deal last summer.

That also has a release clause, according to reports, which has increased.

That begs the question of who could afford him? There are only a few teams, aside from Saudi clubs and Premier League clubs.

He is “ideally positioned to make a difference at a top club.” It’s just a matter of time until he moves, “said Vrablik”. Maybe not this summer.

“I think the price paid [for his delay] is what I believe.” There are not many clubs who can afford him right now, which is a problem if he wants to move on.

He continued, “I wouldn’t be surprised if I saw him stay at Leipzig for another season.” If he can play the same season before Euro 2024, it might be beneficial for his development.

Manchester United had put Sesko and Aston Villa’s England striker Ollie Watkins at the top of their list, but are now focusing on the Slovenian and have spoken to Leipzig.

Although United have already made a summer transfer investment of £130 million, they still have money to spend.

United’s other striker is Rasmus Hojlund.

But Newcastle also want Sesko – if their own star striker leaves.

Swede Isak was unable to participate in their Asia-bound pre-season tour, but BBC Sport was informed that he was considering his options.

That fee would, in turn, leave Newcastle able to afford Sesko.

William Osula, 21, would become St James’ Park’s only senior striker if Isak did leave, as Callum Wilson did this summer on a free transfer.

A move to the Magpies would allow Sesko to participate in the Champions League next season, unlike Manchester United.

As would Chelsea – who have also been linked.

The Blues would need to sell Nicolas Jackson and perhaps others because they have already done so for a combined £90 million this summer.

Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and AC Milan are just a few examples of the elite teams in Europe that have reportedly been interested in playing in the past.

But those links have gone cold.