Manchester United is close to reaching an agreement with RB Leipzig to sign Benjamin Šeszko. The Red Devils have been competing with Newcastle United for the 22-year-old Slovenian center-forward. Both sides submitted offers, with Newcastle offering the higher price, but the player chose Manchester United.

Newcastle initially offered a fixed transfer fee of €75 million plus €5 million in add-ons, but on Monday raised their bid to €80 million with an additional €10 million. Manchester United then offered a fixed fee of €75 million with €10 million in add-ons. Newcastle further raised their offer on Tuesday to a fixed fee of €82.5 million with an additional €2.5 million, which Leipzig accepted.

However, Šeszko chose to join Manchester United. According to his agreement with Leipzig, certain clubs could sign him for a fixed transfer fee of €70 million to €80 million, plus a variable clause of €5 million to €10 million. The Red Devils were on that list, and their offer met the criteria.

All parties are now aware of this, and negotiations have reached an advanced stage, focusing primarily on how to meet Leipzig's requirements. Despite Newcastle's willingness to pay a higher fee and offer Champions League football, Šeszko still favors Manchester United. His idol is Zlatan Ibrahimović, who was a key player for the Red Devils under Mourinho.

According to Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Manchester United and Šeszko have reached a personal agreement. If the club can reach a deal with Leipzig, the Slovenian striker will sign until 2030. Romano stated, "Sheshko has fully agreed personal terms with Manchester United, with the contract running until June 2030. Sheshko wants to join Manchester United and made this clear yesterday. He has never given any similar indications to any other club. Inter-club negotiations between Manchester United and RB Leipzig are still ongoing."

Sheshko scored 21 goals for Leipzig in all competitions last season. Since joining from RB Salzburg in 2023, he has scored 39 goals and provided 8 assists in 87 appearances. Amorim admires Aston Villa's Watkins, but Sir Jim Ratcliffe is unwilling to pay Villa's demand for the soon-to-be 30-year-old.

Why did Manchester United take a fancy to Sheshko? The Athletic Network pointed out that Sheshko's potential, combined with his physical and technical qualities, led the club to express interest in him for the third time. As early as 2019, Manchester United was interested in the 16-year-old Sheshko, then still NK Domzale, but the club rejected a €2 million offer.

In the 2022/2023 season, Seshko played 30 games for Red Bull Salzburg in Austria, scoring 16 goals. This time, he turned down Manchester United and opted for another Red Bull team in the Bundesliga. Seshko's combination of straight-line speed, powerful finishing, and tenacious fighting spirit has attracted Manchester United to invest heavily in him.

Seshko stands 195cm tall, is quick, and possesses excellent technique. He's certainly not on the level of Erling Haaland, another Bundesliga top scorer, and his shots can be quite off-target at times, but the Slovenian has enormous potential. He possesses a balance of left and right foot, headers, long-range shots, and penalty area finishes, making him a highly promising striker.

Of course, signing a player like this for a club like Manchester United carries considerable risk. Seshko has the physical tools to adapt to the Premier League, but whether he can truly deliver in real-world matches remains uncertain. It also remains to be seen whether his mental abilities can handle the challenges of English football.

From Sheshko's perspective, why did he choose to join a struggling Manchester United? Perhaps the only appealing football factor was Manchester United's greater history and reputation. Even after more than a decade of mediocrity and underwhelming results, players of this age group were still drawn to Manchester United's glory. This is because Cunha and Mbemo grew up during the era when Sir Alex Ferguson led Manchester United to their second Champions League victory, a team with stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney.

Sheshko was about to turn five when Manchester United won the Premier League and Champions League double in May 2008, a period of his footballing enlightenment. Nearly 20 years later, despite Manchester United's poor performance, they remain one of the most powerful clubs in world football. For many players, the prospect of helping the Red Devils revive is an attractive proposition.

Newcastle faced a difficult recruitment campaign this summer. Elanga and Aaron Ramsdale had already joined, but other high-profile targets turned down the Magpies and moved elsewhere. This is understandable. The icy climate of northwest England is inherently daunting, and Newcastle's offer isn't enough to attract top stars. Manchester United's players earn more, and they pay higher wages than Newcastle. Newcastle's strict salary structure doesn't even meet the contract renewal requirements of top scorer Isaac! Furthermore, the commercial profile that comes with playing for Manchester United offers greater lucrative opportunities.

However, it must be emphasized that while Manchester United's size and reputation remain important factors in attracting players, this is also a double-edged sword, bringing immense attention and scrutiny. Few other teams face the same level of criticism if they underperform. If Cesco decides to accept this challenge, he will have to rise to the test.