RB Leipzig are reportedly encouraging Manchester United to table a formal offer for Benjamin Sesko, as the Bundesliga side look to trigger a Premier League bidding war for the Slovenian striker. According to talkSPORT, the German club rejected a £70 million bid from Newcastle United on Saturday, hoping that United's interest will now translate into an official move.
United and Newcastle in pursuit of prolific forward
The 22-year-old forward has been attracting intense interest from top English clubs, with Arsenal previously linked to the Slovenian before finalizing a deal for Viktor Gyokeres last month. Despite that move, Sesko’s Premier League switch still appears imminent.
Manchester United remain in the race after holding direct talks with both the player and RB Leipzig, although no formal bid has been submitted as of yet. The Red Devils are in the market for a proven frontman after continued attacking struggles in recent seasons. Meanwhile, Newcastle are eyeing reinforcements up front amid growing uncertainty around Alexander Isak, who has reportedly expressed a desire to leave St James' Park.
Leipzig reject Newcastle’s structured offer
Sources close to the negotiations revealed that Newcastle's proposal amounted to £65.5 million upfront with an additional £4 million in add-ons.
However, Leipzig deemed the overall package insufficient both in terms of the fee and the structure. The Bundesliga outfit remains firm on the valuation they held during Arsenal's previous pursuit.
Sesko’s record and recent absence fuel transfer buzz
Sesko joined RB Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg two summers ago and has since netted 27 goals in 64 Bundesliga appearances. His performances in Europe have also impressed, with six goals in 16 Champions League appearances, including a memorable brace against Juventus last season.
On the international stage, the Slovenian striker has scored 16 times in 41 caps for his national team. Notably, Sesko was absent from Leipzig’s pre-season clash against Atalanta on Saturday, which they lost 2-1 fueling speculation of an imminent transfer.
Addressing the absence, Leipzig’s managing director for sport, Marcel Schäfer, stated:
We won't go into detail on that but when I say that several clubs have shown strong interest and have made approaches, it's obvious what has happened.
Manchester United will be taking on Arsenal in their first game of the 2025-26 Premier League season on Sunday, 17th August.