Possible deciding factors in Benjamin Sesko’s decision to join Man United over Newcastle
Manchester United finally appear to have won the race to sign Benjamin Sesko.
The RB Leipzig striker was a major target of Arsenal until they opted to sign Viktor Gyokeres. From there, it was a straight battle between Man United and Newcastle for the Slovenia international.
Sesko has always seemed more likely to go to Old Trafford, and now, that looks set to happen quickly, where he’ll bring his impressive record of 39 goals and eight assists in 87 appearances for Leipzig to a revamped United attack.
But why exactly did Sesko choose Man United over Newcastle? After all, the Magpies can offer Champions League football, while the Red Devils aren’t in Europe at all this season.
Here are three possible reasons:
Christopher Vivell
Hiring Christopher Vivell as director of recruitment last year now appears to be bearing fruit, with United securing the summer signings of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.
However, the German has undoubtedly played a major role in Sesko’s signing as well.
After all, Vivell was a scout at RB Salzburg when Sesko joined the Austrian side and became a part of the Red Bull system in 2019. He then went on to become technical director of RB Leipzig in 2020, and although he’d left for Chelsea by the time Sesko arrived in 2023, he will have been heavily involved in building the case to bring him to Germany.
Vivell has been described as Man United’s ‘secret weapon’ in their hunt for Sesko (TNT Sports, 6 August), and he appears to have played a major role in tipping the scales here.
The lure of Old Trafford
“Old Trafford is falling down,” sing the Manchester City fans. And yet, there is something about the Theatre of Dreams that just pulls you in. It’s an imposing stadium steeped in history, that appears to have its own gravity well, with United competing for big names even at their lowest ebb.
“He will move from RB Leipzig only when we recognise a special club. A special project with a special coach,” Sesko’s agent, Elvis Basanovic, said of his player’s prospects earlier in August (Mirror).
United are by no means a powerhouse right now, finishing 15th in the Premier League last season and losing the Europa League final to Spurs.
By contrast, Newcastle have once again qualified for the Champions League and won the EFL Cup last season.
However, this is Manchester United — try not to read that in Roy Keane’s voice. 20-time English champions, three-time European kings, Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson, the Busby Babes, Besty and Sir Bobby.
Few clubs in the world can ever compete with the Red Devils.
Ruben Amorim
Ruben Amorim has endured a torrid time since becoming Manchester United manager, but nobody is writing him off yet. He did, after all, inherit a complete mess.
The very fact that the Portuguese coach even managed to get them to the Europa League final was an achievement in itself, and optimism is growing with supporters impressed by their club’s summer business so far.
Amorim’s 3-4-3 system could be a perfect fit for Sesko, requiring a dynamic focal point in the No.9 spot who can compete physically, but also get on the end of crosses and exploit the space created by those around him. Playing alongside Mbeumo and Cunha has the potential to fire Sesko into a whole new echelon of goalscoring potential.
| RB Leipzig stats | Benjamin Sesko |
| Appearances | 87 |
| Goals | 39 |
| Assists | 8 |
What’s more, Sesko will have no doubt researched Amorim’s previous work with strikers, with Gyokeres, Paulinho and Pedro Goncalves — often deployed through the middle — scoring 206 goals combined under his management (Transfermarkt).
That’s not to say Eddie Howe isn’t also fantastic with strikers. You only have to look at Alexander Isak or Callum Wilson to see that.
But Amorim’s track record surely counts that much more when coupled with the previous two factors.