The agent of Manchester United striker Benjamin Šeško had insisted his desire to move to Old Trafford this summer played a part in failed approaches from both Arsenal and Newcastle United this summer.
Šeško entered the summer transfer window as a key target for a number of top sides but, despite early interest from Arsenal, was made to wait until August to seal a switch to United, who fought off a rival approach from Newcastle to strike a deal worth an initial €76.5 million (£65.9 million, $89.2 million) with a further €8.5 million in add-ons.
While other clubs were prepared to pay more, both in terms of a transfer fee and Šeško’s weekly wage, the Slovenia international’s determination to join United meant he did not hesitate to accept the Red Devils’ proposal.
Asked specifically about his negotiations with Arsenal, Elvis Bašanović told Pop TV: “Every time a deal doesn’t go through, there are many different factors involved.
“I think it was also important that Benjamin’s desire has always been Manchester United. Because of that, he was willing to accept a slightly lower salary and I also accepted a lower commission. Simply put, it was the player’s dream. We are overjoyed. I don’t want to talk about other clubs, I want to focus on United.”
Bašanović went on to reveal that his first contact with United was back in 2018 when Šeško was just 15 years old.
“I visited the United academy and spoke to the people there,” the agent continued. “It wasn’t the right moment to go there so young. But we realised what the path was to get there.”
Negotiations with United were unlike anything Başanović has ever experienced before, with the agent concluding by admitting he was taken aback by the big-club feel that surrounds the Red Devils.
“I knew that United was a big club, but I still did not expect something like this,” he reflected. “We moved around in kitchens, in hotel garages, in basements, entering the premises through side doors.
“When the club organised dinner for us, the paparazzi were waiting for us at the door, so we could barely get to the car. An incredible experience. But I think we wrote a wonderful story.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Many Different Factors’—Benjamin Sesko’s Failed Arsenal, Newcastle Talks Explained.
