Manchester United are favourites to sign RB Leipzig forward Benjamin Sesko and if a deal is pulled off for the Slovenian it will be the third player to choose the Reds over Newcastle United. The 22-year-old is one of Europe's most highly-admired frontmen but he appears to be prepared to miss out on Champions League football at St James' Park to make the move to Old Trafford.
Ben Jacobs has told The United Stand that if both clubs agree a deal with Leipzig for Sesko then he will choose Manchester United. It's becoming a common theme this summer with the Magpies having missed out on all their top targets.
Man United beating Newcastle to top targets
Newcastle were interested in signing Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers until the Reds swooped in and paid his £62.5m release clause. Fabrizio Romano reported (via GIVEMESPORT) that their interest was the most concrete during the latter stages of the season.
It was a case of deja-vu for Eddie Howe's outfit later in the summer when Bryan Mbeumo became one of the Premier League's most coveted wingers. News broke courtesy of David Ornstein that the Cameroonian had made Manchester United his preference ahead of the Tyneside giants, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur.
Negotiations took ages for Mbeumo but a deal got done at £71m. He was another at the very top of Howe's wishlist and a major coup for Ruben Amorim who could feature in a new-look frontline alongside Cunha and Sesko.
Alan Shearer now looks foolish after questioning if Man United are still big
Alan Shearer's assessment heading into the summer transfer window was that Manchester United would struggle persuading any top players to move to the club. The pundit told Gary Lineker on The Rest is Football podcast:
"Man United aren't the club they were years ago, only by name, and they're a million miles off it both on and off the pitch. I don't know how they're going to get over this."
Shearer questioned the club's pull and finances:
"One - how do they attract top, top players?"
"Two - are they gonna be able to pay for any players to come in there?"
The Premier League's all-time top scorer added:
"Am I wrong in saying how are they gonna attract big, big players? Why would you go there?"
Shearer must be scratching his head watching the Red Devils continuously beat Newcastle to top targets. Cunha, Mbeumo and now Sesko are willing to accept no Champions League football to make the move to Old Trafford over St James' Park.
It's a worrying time to be a fan of the Tyneside outfit because they are at risk of losing Alexander Isak to Liverpool. Sesko was identified as their ideal replacement but INEOS are throwing a spanner in the works by not only winning the race for the Slovenian but also complicating the Swedish striker's potential move to Anfield.
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