Benjamin Sesko has explained why he snubbed a move to Newcastle in favour of joining Manchester United. Sesko has become the latest addition to Ruben Amorim’s new-look attack after joining from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to £74million.
After both Manchester United and Newcastle began negotiations with RB Leipzig for the Slovenia international, Sesko had a choice to make. The 22-year-old striker had consistently stated his preference for a move to Manchester and has now penned a five-year deal with the club.
United will pay RB Leipzig £66.4m upfront, with an additional £7.6m possible in add-ons, bringing their total summer transfer spending to £207.5m. This follows the £62.5m signing of Matheus Cunha from Wolves and the £71m acquisition of Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford.
Amorim’s side won’t play any European football in the 2025/26 season, having finished 15th in the Premier League last season and lost the Europa League final to Tottenham. Nevertheless, Sesko opted to join the rebuild project at Old Trafford, rather than continue to play in the Champions League by joining Newcastle.
“The history of Manchester United is obviously very special but what really excites me is the future,” he said. “When we discussed the project, it was clear that everything is in place for this team to continue to grow and compete for the biggest trophies again soon.
“From the moment that I arrived, I could feel the positive energy and family environment that the club has created. It is clearly the perfect place to reach my maximum level and fulfil all of my ambitions.
“I cannot wait to start learning from Ruben and connecting with my team-mates to achieve the success that we all know we are capable of together.”
Sesko netted 21 goals in 45 appearances for Leipzig across all competitions last season and is set to lead the line as United’s first-choice centre-forward. Amorim’s team managed only 44 goals in 38 league matches in 2024/25, with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee failing to make a significant impact.
Sesko has been linked with a Premier League move for several years and was once on Arsenal’s radar. However, the Gunners chose to sign Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting Lisbon instead, leaving Sesko to decide between Newcastle and Manchester United.
It marks another missed target for Newcastle this summer, following Hugo Ekitike’s decision to join Liverpool over a move to Tyneside. While Eddie Howe’s side have secured Anthony Elanga, they face a challenging situation ahead of next weekend’s season opener, with star striker Alexander Isak expressing his desire to leave.
