Latest news with #BenjaminSesko
Telegraph
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Telegraph
Man Utd tour diary: Amorim's transfer wish-list and 46C heat wave in Chicago
Manchester United have deliberately targeted players with Premier League experience this summer and would ideally like to sign a striker who also fits that category. Ruben Amorim has set his sights on a No 9, a deep-lying midfielder and potentially another goalkeeper before the close of the transfer window now Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha are both on board after their respective moves from Brentford and Wolves. United's search for a centre-forward has not been limited to players with Premier League experience by any means. For example, late enquiries are believed to have been made for Hugo Ekitike and Viktor Gyokeres, even though it became clear they were committed to joining Liverpool and Arsenal respectively, and there remains an interest in RB Leipzig's Benjamin Sesko among others. They have to be the right profile and character first and foremost but a striker with knowledge of the unique demands presented by the Premier League is considered very appealing if the price is right. United tried to sign Liam Delap from Ipswich Town only for the England Under-21 striker to instead opt to join Chelsea in a £30 million deal. United have made checks on Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins although the costs involved are currently considered to be prohibitive. The situation is likely to be much the same with Crystal Palace's Jean-Philippe Mateta and Evanilson of Bournemouth. Fiorentina forward Moise Kean, who spent four years with Everton between 2019 and 2023, has been monitored and United have been offered a host of free agents, including Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Callum Wilson and Jamie Vardy. Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic is also thought to be among the strikers who have been offered to United. Marcus Rashford's season-long loan move to Barcelona has freed up some money given the significant wage savings but United need to offload some of their other outcasts to boost their coffers. As well as a striker, Amorim wants a No 6 midfielder and recently complained about his side's 'lack of pace … in the middle of the park'. Heat wave hits United Amorim and his United players arrived in Chicago on Tuesday night for the start of their US tour just as a heat wave prepares to hit the city. Temperatures have been in the pleasant 20s Celsius with a nice breeze coming off Lake Michigan over the past week. But the mercury is forecast to rise to 46-degrees Celsius on Wednesday and is set to remain that way for a couple of days, according to America's national weather service. ☀️BRACING FOR 2ND HEATWAVE: A heat advisory is issued for the Chicagoland area for two days starting Wednesday with heat indexes expected in the triple digits. @ABC7Chicago MORE: — Tre Ward ABC 7 (@TreWardTV) July 22, 2025 It could mean some gruelling training sessions in the baking sunshine for United's players, who are due to train at the Chicago Fire MLS side's base during their stay in the Windy City. 'It will be unpleasant, uncomfortable and maybe dangerous,' meteorologist Gino Izzi from the weather service said. United's arrival in Chicago on Tuesday night was a low-key affair with only a handful of fans outside the Waldorf Astoria to greet them. #MUFC squad arriving at their hotel in Chicago ahead of the club's pre-season tour of the US — James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) July 23, 2025 New signings Cunha, Mbeumo and Diego Leon were among a 32-man travelling party. Harry Maguire was due to fly out on Wednesday after a personal matter prevented him from flying with the main squad, but Amorim's 'bomb squad' of Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia did not travel after being omitted by the manager. Rashford has joined Barcelona and was due to be presented by the Catalan club on Wednesday. Man City owners' Mbeumo windfall Manchester City's owners had a vested interest in Mbeumo's protracted move to Old Trafford. The Cameroon forward completed a £71 million transfer to Manchester United on Monday, which ended a fraught 44-day negotiation process with Brentford. Mbeumo had joined Brentford from Troyes for just £5.8 million in 2019, a year before the French club was acquired by the City Football Group, parent company of United's bitter rivals Manchester City. Troyes negotiated a sell-on clause with Brentford entitling them to 10 per cent of the profits on any future sale meaning City's Abu Dhabi paymasters are now due to net a handsome £6.5 million windfall courtesy of Mbeumo's big-money switch to United. Juventus biding time on Sancho Juventus retain a firm interest in United outcast Sancho, who was omitted from the squad that travelled to the US. The Italian club completed the £27.7 million signing of Portugal winger Francisco Conceicao from Porto on Tuesday and hope to follow that up with the capture of Sancho. But Juve are thought to be first looking to sell Timothy Weah and potentially Nico Gonzalez before advancing a move for the one-time England forward. Marseille are in advanced talks to sign US international Weah. Gonzalez spent last season on loan at Juventus, who had an obligation to buy the Argentina winger from Fiorentina, but he is attracting interest from a host of clubs and could leave. United's hotel 'rec room' Amorim is keen to use United's tour of the US as something of a bonding exercise and a games room has been set up at the Waldorf Astoria for players and staff. The 'rec room' features a basketball 'pop shot', table tennis table, darts board, card tables and American cornhole game. Amorim is expected to put his players through their paces on the tour but there should be plenty of time for the squad to wind down. A directors' meeting room has also been set up down the corridor from the rec room where the club's executives can conduct business. Niagara Falls spectacular Manchester United will be illuminating the world famous Niagara Falls in a special light show to mark their visit to the US this month. The group of three waterfalls spanning the border between Ontario in Canada and the state of New York will be lit in the red of United on Wednesday night – or the early hours of Thursday in the UK. United supporters from Niagara, Toronto and Buffalo and Rochester will be joined by former defender Wes Brown for the event, which will be accompanied by a firework display. No rest for the weary On the subject of Brown, the 2008 Champions League winner might just end up being the hardest-working man during the club's two weeks in the States. The former England defender is United's only ambassador on the tour and the club intend to utilise his services at every opportunity. As well as the Niagara Falls illumination and all the activities around that, Brown will be attending a street soccer tournament in the Bronx on the New York leg of the tour on Friday and staging a Q&A event later that night – and then doing the same in New Jersey 24 hours later. Back in Chicago, he will be taking part in community coaching clinics with the Chicago Bears NFL team and Chicago Bulls basketball team, a street soccer tournament for disadvantaged children and a fans' meet and greet as well as throwing the first pitch at a Chicago White Sox baseball game to name just a few. Brown then has another round of activities in Atlanta on the final leg of the tour. Anyone for cricket? Before United left for Chicago, they were paid a visit at the club's Carrington training ground by the Indian cricket team ahead of the start of the fourth Test against England at Old Trafford. When #TeamIndia visited Carrington 🤩 🤝 @adidas — Manchester United (@ManUtd) July 21, 2025 India captain Shubman Gill led his team-mates into a quick football game of 'no-bounce' before being greeted by United players including Maguire, Tom Heaton and Rasmus Hojlund. After a brief photo shoot, United's stars raced over to the assembled cricket pitch with Jack Fletcher eager to test his batting abilities against the Indian bowling attack. Insiders say Heaton and Maguire are two of the more accomplished cricketers in the United squad, although when it was Maguire's turn to bat India's Shardul Thakur opted instead to fire a football at the centre-back. The England defender defended his wicket like he might the six-yard box, thundering a header back at Thakur. Heaton and India wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant swapped gloves during a series of photo opportunities and Mohammed Siraj, one of the better footballers in the Indian team, drew applause from Heaton after firing a left-foot rocket past the United goalkeeper into the top corner. England will hope Siraj is not quite as accurate with the ball at Old Trafford.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Benjamin Sesko transfer takes huge twist with lucrative wage offer
Manchester United have made signing a new striker a priority ahead of the 2025/2026 season. Rejection after rejection The Red Devils have so far faced a frustrating summer as they have seen numerous top striker targets head elsewhere. The window began with Liam Delap rejecting the club and opting for a move to Chelsea. United were then reported to hold an interest in Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres but he has agreed a deal to join rivals Arsenal. Victor Osimhen is also reportedly on the verge of joining Galatasaray after giving priority to a move back to the Turkish Super Lig champions. Benjamin Šeško links As a result, one of the few big name strikers left on the market is that of Red Bull Leipzig's Sesko. The Red Devils tried to sign the player in 2022 and held an interest in previous summers. With their attacking options dwindling by the day, it has been suggested that the club may turn back to the forward. A big offer from Saudi Arabia It was reported that the Slovenian was subject of interest from Arsenal before they ultimately decided to close a deal for Gyokeres. Nonetheless, it has been reported by Italian journalist, Gianluigi Longari, that Sesko has admirers in the Middle East. The reporter posted on X that there are 'shocking offers for Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. Al Hilal and Al Ahli are ready to put forward a salary of €40 million per season.' Nonetheless, it is also stated that the strikers' 'focus is solely on Europe and he is not considering a move to Saudi Arabia at this stage of his career.' Interestingly, it has been suggested that if no club meets Leipzig's demands he is also willing to stay at the club this summer, giving them strength in any negotiations. Featured image Luciano Lima via Getty Images Follow us on Bluesky: @
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Watkins, Jackson, Sesko: Comparing Manchester United's striker targets
Manchester United will prioritise the signing of a striker next after completing deals for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo. Cunha and Mbeumo will improve the goal threat of Ruben Amorim's side, though the Manchester United manager remains intent to add a number nine and complete his new-look frontline. After seeing pursuits of Liam Delap and Viktor Gyokeres blocked, the Red Devils are shortlisting new options. Three names continue to be linked with Old Trafford: Ollie Watkins, Nicolas Jackson and Benjamin Sesko. As the speculation continues to circle, we've analysed key offensive metrics in their league data from 2024/25 to see how the forwards compare. Awarding points on a 3-2-1 basis, we'll reflect which of the three tops the data-led battle. Percentiles represent how a player's per 90 statistic ranks among their positional peers across Europe's top leagues (80th percentile = better than 80% of players). Watkins, Jackson, Sesko: Comparing Manchester United's striker targets Non-penalty goals Ollie Watkins – 81.6% Benjamin Sesko – 73.3% Nicolas Jackson – 71% Watkins scored 16 goals in the Premier League last season, with just two coming from the penalty spot. It was the third consecutive campaign the England international scored 15+ goals in the Premier League. Sesko netted two of his 13 league goals last season from the spot, while none of Jackson's 10 goals in the Premier League came via a penalty. Non-penalty xG Nicolas Jackson – 93.3% Ollie Watkins – 89% Benjamin Sesko – 40.8% Jackson led from the front when it came to non-penalty xG. The Senegalese striker ranked in the top 7% of all forwards in Europe for quality of non-penalty chances received. Watkins ranked just behind Jackson (89%), though Sesko was in the bottom 41% of all forwards. The Slovenian's RB Leipzig side struggled last season, missing out on European football. Conversion rate Benjamin Sesko – 70.2% Ollie Watkins – 64.3% Nicolas Jackson – 44.7% While Jackson received the better quality chances, he posted the worst conversion rate of all three forwards. He underperformed his xG by -3.25 goals, while Watkins also produced an underperformance (-3xG). Sesko, in contrast, outperformed his xG, netting 13 goals from an xG of 10.22 (+2.78). Aerial duels won % Benjamin Sesko – 91% Nicolas Jackson – 55.3% Ollie Watkins – 46.7% At 6ft 5in, it may come as little surprise to see Benjamin Sesko lead this metric. The towering forward ranked in the top 9% of all forwards for percentage of aerial duels won last season. Expected Assists Ollie Watkins – 69% Nicolas Jackson – 60.8% Benjamin Sesko – 46.7% Ollie Watkins claimed the Premier League's Playmaker of the Season award in 2023/24 and added a healthy eight assists last time around. The 29-year-old tops the battle for expected assists per 90, ahead of Jackson. Offensive duels won Ollie Watkins – 52.9% Nicolas Jackson – 51.4% Benjamin Sesko – 37.3% Watkins narrowly edges out Jackson again when it comes to offensive duels won per 90. Despite his impressive record in the air, Sesko trails third and sits in the bottom 38% of forwards across Europe. Totals Ollie Watkins – 14 Nicolas Jackson – 11 Benjamin Sesko – 11 Ollie Watkins comes out on top when the data is assessed with the Aston Villa forward the most well-rounded option. At five years Jackson's senior and seven that of Sesko, it is perhaps expected that the 29-year-old would represent the most readymade target. Jackson and Sesko both represent risks but have attributes that could flourish under Ruben Amorim. The latter's superior conversion rate arguably gives him the edge for a side that struggled for goals last season, despite Jackson's experience of English football. Read – See more – Follow The Football Faithful on Social Media: | | | |
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Manchester United Are Keeping A Keen Eye On This Bundesliga Striker: Good Choice For Amorim?
In a recent report, Sky Sports claimed that Manchester United are keeping a keen eye on Red Bull Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko this summer. It has been revealed that the Red Devils are eyeing a move to bring the Slovenia international to Old Trafford in this transfer window. Sesko enjoyed a decent run of form at the German club in the previous campaign when he put in a lot of eye-catching displays for them in the Bundesliga. The 22-year-old scored 21 times and picked up six assists in 45 matches for RB Leipzig last season across all competitions. The Slovenia international gave a good account of himself in the final third based on his average of 2.5 shots per 90 minutes in the Bundesliga. He kept 43.9% of his attempts on target. However, Sesko has to figure out a way to improve his ball distribution after completing just 67.6% of his attempted passes in the German first division (stats via His current contract at the German club will run out in the summer of 2029. Hence, it won't be easy for Man United to get a deal over the line for him this off-season. Is Sesko A Good Choice For Manchester United? Sesko can create a yard of space for himself to get some strikes in at goal. He has got the eye to play some decisive passes in the final third and is a good dribbler with the ball at his feet. The Slovenian talent has proven himself to be a lethal finisher in the Bundesliga. Standing at 1.95m, Sesko is a towering presence in the final third but needs to work on improving his link-up play up top. We can expect Sesko to add more firepower to Man United boss Ruben Amorim's attack. He is good enough to secure a regular first-team spot at the Mancunian club next season. At 22, Sesko has the potential to be a world-class player in his position someday. Therefore, he would be a decent choice for the Red Devils to consider in this summer transfer window. However, Amorim has to be patient with his development before he can get the best out of Sesko at Old Trafford.
Metro
4 days ago
- Sport
- Metro
Manchester United stance on signing Arsenal transfer target Benjamin Sesko
Manchester United remain keen admirers of Benjamin Sesko as their search for a new striker continues. The Red Devils begun their pre-season campaign against Leeds United on Saturday having made just two significant additions to their squad. Matheus Cunha's move from Wolves was wrapped up early in the window with the minimum of fuss, while it remains to be seen how prominently teenager Diego Leon will feature following his move from Cerro Porteno. Ruben Amorim had hoped that Bryan Mbeumo's transfer would have been resolved by now, but Brentford's refusal to be railroaded into a sale has seen that saga drag on. United are confident that a third bid, closer to the Bees valuation, will see the Cameroon forward join imminently, but United are still desperately short of attacking options. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link so we can send you football news tailored to you. Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee have both been linked with returns to Serie A having failed to convince they are worthy of being regarded as United's main source of goals. United had shown interest in Amorim's former Sporting Lisbon charge, Viktor Gyokeres, but the Sweden international has been steadfast in his determination to join the Gunners. It's been quite a tough season for Leipzig, which forced them to change coach after a disappointing Champions League campaign. They've been struggling, which reflects on his output, but he's still been one of their best and most consistent players. Sesko's strengths are certainly his physicality and speed – he's great at making dangerous runs in behind defences, but he's also a very clinical and instinctive finisher, especially when the ball drops to him in the area. His work rate is good and he's a willing runner off the ball as well. His hold-up play is quite strong, but I think his link-up play is a side of his game that he can still improve. It's not that he's bad at that side of the game, but compared to someone like Havertz, he's not at that level. In particular, his passing will need to get a lot better in a side like Arsenal. But during his young career, he's shown he can take those steps forward. His mentality is definitely a strength – he's a player who wants to learn and wants to improve so in that sense he will be a quick learner and offers Arsenal something completely different. Rune Gjerulff, German football expert and editor of Bulinews Arsenal, for their part, had started the summer with Sesko as their first choice to become the missing part of the title-winning puzzle at the Emirates Stadium. Andrea Berta, however, found RB Leipzig difficult customers to deal with, while Sesko's own personal demands saw Arsenal switch focus to Gyokeres. That decision means Sesko is still available should an interested party be able to raise the funds required to prise the striker from the Bundesliga club. Sesko has received a tentative offer from the Saudi Pro League but he is determined to continue his career with a top level European club. United would dearly love to add him to their ranks but according to The Telegraph, lack the funds required at present. Amorim will hope to raise additional funds by selling the members of his 'bomb squad' who have been deemed surplus to requirements. Alejandro Garnacho, Jadon Sancho, Marcus Rashford and Antony have all be told to find new clubs and will not be involved in pre-season. United, meanwhile, have been linked with a number of free agents including the likes of Callum Wilson, Jamie Vardy and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but signing a player of that ilk would represent a last resort. Aston Villa's Ollie Watkins is also on their radar, but at 29-years-old, age and potential resale value are factors the United board are considering before making an offer. MORE: Arsenal boost as Sporting warned over Viktor Gyokeres replacement MORE: Raheem Sterling makes decision on next club as Chelsea set price tag MORE: Mikel Arteta finally got his way after being overruled on £52million Arsenal signing
