Red Devils told 6ft 5in striker 'beast' is 'going to leave' as Amorim learns price for two targets

Manchester United have been given further encouragement over a summer deal for Benjamin Sesko after a trusted source revealed it is now “very realistic that he’s going to leave” RB Leipzig this summer – while Ruben Amorim has also learned the exact price needed to sign a second striker target.

The Red Devils have struggled badly in front of goal this season, scoring a meagre 37 goals in their 29 Premier League games to date. That tally is 32 shy of the division’s top scorers, Liverpool (69) and only nine better than Ipswich, who find themselves in the relegation zone. As a result, finding a new centre-forward capable of spearheading Amorim’s 3-4-2-1 formation will become a top priority for Manchester United this summer.

Reports earlier this week revealed Amorim, alongside technical director Jason Wilcox and director of recruitment Christopher Vivell have drawn up a four-man shortlist of options to target as a new No.9 this summer, with Victor Osihmen, Viktor Gyokeres, together with Bundesliga duo Sesko and Hugo Ekitike all on their wanted list.

And while Sporting will likely accept a reduced fee of €75m (£62.3m) this summer for Gyokeres, while Osimhen can aslo leave Napoli for the same price, United could yet turn to Germany for a new centre forward with two options there also catching their eye.

Now Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has revealed Leipzig are fully expecting Sesko – nicknamed The Beast owing to his imposing and muscular 6ft 5in frame – is likely to leave this summer with United joining Arsenal and Newcastle in tracking the 86-goal star.

“Arsenal is heavily linked with Benjamin Sesko. Also, from our view, at Leipzig, they know it’s very realistic that he’s going to leave the club in the summer,” wrote the transfer market insider in his latest column for The Daily Briefing.

“They would talk with €70m (£58.9m) on the table.”

READ MORE 🔴⚫ Amorim plots glitzy £134m transfer blitz at Man Utd with three world-class Bundesliga targets identified

United also learn price for Hugo Ekitike deal

At the same time, Plettenberg has also revealed the asking price for Eintracht Frankfurt striker Ekitike. The 22-year-old has struck 23 goals in 54 games for the Bundesliga side this season – five more than Sesko – and illustrated his prowess in front of goal on Friday evening by scoring a hat-trick as France U21s defeated England U21s 5-3 in Lorient.

Plettenberg continued: “Frankfurt are demanding €80m (£67.4m) for Hugo Ekitike, so if someone is willing to pay this price they can sign him. I think these two players will be in the Premier League this summer but the question is which club!

“Newcastle will search for a new striker, whilst Manchester United are currently searching. We don’t yet know if Alexander Isak to Liverpool will work, so there are three clubs in the mix with two prominent Bundesliga strikers on the table ahead of the summer window.”

With United now learning the price for all four striker targets this summer, it may now come down to which of the quartet is considered best suited to both United’s system, their ages and their salary demands.

With Wilcox and Vivell running dossiers on all four players, it will soon come to light which of the quartet they will hone in on, though another transfer journalist, Alex Crook, recently named which of the players was ‘most likely’ to sign.

Man Utd latest: Six-year offer to Prem winger; defensive ‘kingpin’ eyed

Meanwhile, United are also in the market for a new winger who can operate as a No 10. As a result, it’s reported they have been in discussions with the agent of Antoine Semenyo over a move – with a huge six-year deal on the table and the price they will need to pay for the Bournemouth star coming to light.

Elsewhere, United have identified their ‘next defensive kingpin’ and approved a £50m-plus deal, but while the player is open to moving, one vitally important condition must first be met.

With Amorim expected to make wholesale changes to his squad this summer, we have also taken a look at seven current Red Devils stars fighting for their futures with a mass culling of stars being planned.

IN-PROFILE: Who is Benjamin Sesko, the latest Red Bull goals cyborg

The formula Red Bull use to unearth the next superstar striker for their football franchises is a lot simpler than the one used to concoct their energy drinks.

Erling Haaland’s career took off after Red Bull Salzburg gave him wings in 2019. Now, the point of RB Leipzig’s attack is manned by a young star many consider to be the next super-scoring cyborg off the production line – Sesko.

Standing 6ft 5, supremely athletic and able to find the target from anywhere inside 20 yards of goal with robotic regularity – if that all sounds familiar, it’s not by accident.

Haaland and Sesko briefly crossed paths at Salzburg before the towering Norwegian was sold to Borussia Dortmund and then on to Manchester City.

Now, with Sesko starring in the Bundesliga for Leipzig, several of Europe’s biggest clubs are eying the Slovenian in hope of landing Haaland 2.0…

“Benjamin Sesko is among the game’s top young talents and has enormous potential to become a top player,” said Christopher Vivell, RB Leipzig’s technical director.

“He has all the qualities to do that. He’s extremely quick, has a great jump on him and is strong in the air. Benjamin is a real goalscorer, who despite his 1.95m (6’4″) is mobile and technically strong. His abilities make him a special player with a special profile.”

And given his physical profile, Sesko made an astute choice as a youngster when selecting a football hero…

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