Manchester United are on the hunt for a striker, with Benjamin Sesko high among the names considered.
As reported by The Peoples Person earlier, direct talks with the player’s agent have already taken place.
According to Samuel Luckhurst, John Murtough even met Sesko’s agent Elvis Basanovic last week to gauge the possibility of a transfer.
🗞 John Murtough met Benjamin Sesko’s agent last week. Murtough rendezvoused with Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, last Wednesday to gauge the possibility of a transfer. [Samuel Luckhurst, MEN]
— Utd District (@UtdDistrict) July 29, 2022
But with complications arising owing to RB Salzburg’s unwillingness to do a deal in this window, is he a player United should be chasing?
The Red Bull side have already lost Karim Adeyemi to Borussia Dortmund this summer and reports have indicated that it would take around £55m to pry Sesko away.
For the mooted price, Manchester United would more than likely expect a player who could be trusted to start should Cristiano Ronaldo’s situation come to a head.
But journalist Jan-Aage Fjortoft has suggested that the player would not be an immediate help to the Red Devils, despite his potential to mature into a top striker.
“They rate him very highly in Salzburg. And they have seen some young strikers in the last years.”
“Personally I think he needs another half a season to mature. Wouldn’t help Man Utd right now.”
They rate him very highly in Salzburg. And they have seen some young strikers in the last years.
But he is still developing. Personally I think he needs another half a season to mature. Wouldn’t help Man UTD right now https://t.co/kby6SOMkQ2— Jan Aage Fjørtoft 🏳️🌈 🇳🇴 💛💙 (@JanAageFjortoft) July 28, 2022
A look at Sesko’s stats last season would certainly suggest that he must develop further before he is ready to lead the line for a Premier League side.
While he has an impressive goals per game ratio, he only managed to play a complete 90 minutes three times over the course of the Austrian Bundesliga, Champions League and OFB Cup.
While he did miss games from thigh problems and suffered from a torn muscle fibre early on in the campaign, his rotation was more to do with the fact that he was a little raw to be starting, at least compared to Adeyemi.
Of course, Sesko has impressed this July, scoring goals in both of Salzburg’s competitive fixtures as well as against Liverpool in a friendly.
He is set to be the main man up front this season and looks to be on the verge of a breakout season.
For United, this of course makes him an interesting prospect, although it presently seems a deal would be more likely next season, with Salzburg understandably looking to reap the benefits of their scouting and development work for a year before letting the player go.
🚨 Man United will need a really important bid if they need to sign Benjamin Šeško this summer because the plan of Red Bull Salzburg is to keep the Slovenian for one more season and sell him next summer.🇸🇮🔴 #MUFC
(via @FabrizioRomano🌕)
— Football Transfers (@Transferzone00) July 28, 2022
A good season in Austria and a few goals in the Champions League would certainly make Sesko look more like a £55m player and would do much for confidence around Old Trafford in parting with such a fee.
However, this time last year Darwin Nunez had no Champions League goals and a worse goals-per-90 record than Sesko does now.
Seeing the Uruguayan as lacking in a body of compelling evidence, long-time admirers Brighton and Hove Albion baulked at Benfica’s €45m asking price.
Waiting for the player to have a breakout campaign can often look quite silly in hindsight and with the striker market being what it is, perhaps now is the right time to strike?
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