Just when Newcastle thought they had their man, Manchester United have swooped in with a late bid for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and the player is believed to favour a move to Old Trafford.
Newcastle had put a hefty £69.7m offer on the table, potentially rising to £75m with add-ons, and felt confident after positive early talks. But United came in hot on Tuesday with a £65.2m guaranteed bid, which could rise to £73.8m. Crucially, the belief inside Carrington is that Sesko sees himself in red.
This isn’t a random move. United have been chasing a striker all summer, with failed attempts to land Viktor Gyokeres who now finds himself at Arsenal after a dramatic €73.5m breakthrough Hugo Ekitike and Liam Delap.
With Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo already signed for a combined £130m, United look serious about building an electric attack.
For Newcastle, this stings. They’ve already suffered multiple transfer setbacks and now risk missing out on another top target. Eddie Howe is in desperate need of forwards, especially with Alexander Isak actively pushing for a move away.
After missing the club’s pre-season tour and training solo at Real Sociedad, his future on Tyneside looks over. A £110m bid from Liverpool has already been knocked back, but it’s only a matter of time before that situation explodes.
Newcastle have added Anthony Elanga from Forest for £55m and secured Aaron Ramsdale on loan, but it’s far from enough. Talks continue with Brentford over Yoane Wissa, and Ollie Watkins remains high on Howe’s list.
Centre-back reinforcements are also being explored, with long-standing interest in Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi and Marseille’s Leonardo Balerdi though neither deal looks simple.
While United charge forward, Newcastle seem to be scrambling. If Sesko does pick Old Trafford, it could go down as one of the pivotal turning points of this window a real wow moment in a market already packed with chaos and surprises.
