Newcastle United are looking to take advantage of a lack of competition in the race for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško, with a report explaining the various reasons behind Arsenal and Manchester United’s decisions to look elsewhere.
Heading into the summer transfer window, Šeško was an ever-present on nearly every elite side’s radar, alongside Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gyökeres. However, two months into the transfer window, the number of potential landing spots for the 22-year-old is shrinking.
Among that trio, Osimhen is on the cusp of a return to Galatasaray, while Gyokeres is the only member to be nearing a move to Europe’s elite. Arsenal settled on the Sporting CP striker as their top target and have finally struck an agreement to get a deal over the line.
A deal worth €63.5million (£55.2 million, $74.7 million) plus a further €10 million (£8.7 million, $11.8 million) has been agreed for Gyökeres and, according to The Athletic, Arsenal simply decided that was better value for money compared to Šeško.
The Gunners reportedly spoke with both Leipzig and Šeško’s representatives but were unhappy with his price tag, fearing the 22-year-old still needed “significant development” and did not justify Leipzig’s demands of over €75 million (£65.2 million, $88.2 million).
United are still on the hunt for a striker but, like Arsenal, have major reservations about Šeško. The Slovenia striker netted 13 goals in 33 Bundesliga appearances last season—a respectable total but not one which works to justify an incredibly costly transfer. Instead, an enquiry was made for Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins.
Šeško is thought to have expected a move this summer but Leipzig now feel as though he could remain for at least one more season, although Newcastle are considering an approach to try and change that stance.
Newcastle see Šeško as a possible replacement for Alexander Isak, who is widely reported to have expressed a desire to leave the club this summer and has not travelled for the pre-season tour. The official explanation for his absence is a thigh injury.
Isak’s departure, by no means a certainty at this stage, would undoubtedly generate the funds needed to pursue Šeško. The Magpies are expected to demand as much as £150 million ($202.9 million) to agree to a sale.
READ THE LATEST TRANSFER NEWS AND RUMOURS FROM WORLD SOCCER
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Arsenal, Man Utd’s Reasons for Snubbing Benjamin Sesko ‘Revealed’.
