Manchester United have submitted an offer close to £74 million for RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Šeško, and they are confident of edging out Newcastle United.
Newcastle United made a £78.2 million bid on Monday in an attempt to speed up the deal for the Slovenian international, with £69.5 million as the initial transfer fee and the remaining amount potentially as add-on payments.
RB Leipzig are considering both deals, but sources have stated that the club would accept offers from either side, and the player’s wage demands have also been accepted by both clubs without any issues.
Manchester United has been preparing an offer for some time, and a reassessment of its financial situation means it can act immediately. Given that funds remain tight, they have been biding their time to avoid getting drawn into a bidding war.
Manchester United needed an indication from the player himself that he was interested in a move. Multiple sources revealed that the 22-year-old’s agent has assured that they will not be deterred by the absence of Champions League football and are open to listening to United’s proposal.
An insider insisted that the club is confident Šeško will move to Old Trafford rather than St James' Park.
Now, everything is up to Šeško, and the final decision will be made on Tuesday.
Manchester United has long targeted Šeško, and the current plan to sign the young forward is driven by head of recruitment Christopher Vivell, who brought him to Red Bull Salzburg when Šeško was 16.
Notably, Šeško has remained positive about Newcastle United’s approach throughout the transfer process, so the club has not been in disarray over the past few days. But if he prefers Manchester United – as at least one well-placed source believes – then they will have to turn their attention elsewhere.
