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Daily Mirror
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
When Manchester United will unveil Benjamin Sesko and complete £74m transfer
Manchester United are close to completing a sensational deal for RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko and it has now been revealed when he will be confirmed as a Red Devil Manchester United will give fans their first glimpse of Benjamin Sesko ahead of their clash with Fiorentina. The Red Devils are close to sealing a deal for the RB Leipzig striker. United have agreed a £74m fee with the German side, while Sesko has flown to Manchester and begun undergoing a medical with his new club. At the time of writing, United are yet to confirm Sesko's switch to Old Trafford - but an announcement is not far off. It's expected the 22-year-old will officially be unveiled in front of fans ahead of the club's pre-season friendly against Fiorentina. United welcome the Serie A side to Old Trafford on Saturday for their final preparation game on Saturday. It comes with Sesko's decision to pick United over Newcastle having been explained perfectly. Once Sesko is officially confirmed as Red Devil, he will then turn his attention to a potential debut for the club. Ruben Amorim 's side take on Arsenal at Old Trafford in their opening game of the Premier League season. Club legend Paul Scholes has already shared his thoughts on Sesko's arrival and suggested that he needs to hit the ground running. Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, he said: "From the point of Sesko... he'll have more chance at Newcastle to develop which he needs. 'Now to be a Manchester United centre-forward, as we've found with Hojlund, a 22-year-old kid, you've got to be ready. It's got to be now. 'And Hojlund just isn't quite good enough for that as we've seen. But again, he's not had a chance to be developed - going to Newcastle might have been the best thing for him, for two or three years." Sesko's arrival could potentially open the door to another major deal. Rival forward Rasmus Hojlund could potentially leave, with AC Milan keen to sign him on loan. Reports in Italy have claimed that chiefs from the Italian side will fly to the UK to hold talks with their Red Devils colleagues. But Hojlund's stance could put a deal in jeopardy, having expressed his desire to stay at Old Trafford. He said: "I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens. I'm still very young. I think people forget that sometimes. I'm only 22. Obviously, not every striker is scoring 100 goals at the age of 22 (like Erling Haaland). "But I've learned a lot, I think you can see in my game. I'm starting to develop and become even better in the basics. Now it's just about for me to sharpen myself and I've done very well in the pre-season so far. Just focusing on continuing that. "Competition is fine with me. It sharpens me. I'm more than ready. I'm feeling sharp, so I'm welcoming everything that comes. I think it's good with competition and it only sharpens the team." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
17 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Ruben Amorim's secret Man Utd rule that Paul Scholes thinks he's spotted in pre-season
Paul Scholes has closely watched Manchester United's pre-season activity and believes Ruben Amorim issued his struggling squad with a new rule ahead of the Premier League campaign Paul Scholes believes Ruben Amorim ordered his Manchester United squad to raise their fitness levels before reporting for pre-season duty. The United legend closely monitored the team's pre-season tour in the USA, where he saw them clinch the Premier League Summer Series with a strong victory over West Ham United, a convincing 4-1 win over Bournemouth, and a 2-2 draw against Everton. Despite a commendable performance stateside, Amorim remained cautious in his outlook following last season's poor results. However, Scholes observed an uptick in the team's fitness and health compared to last term. The 11-time Premier League winner was confident Amorim challenged his players to overhaul their fitness. To support his theory, he picked out United academy graduate Kobbie Mainoo, who has added more muscle to his previously slender physique. On The Overlap Fan Debate, Scholes, when asked about Mainoo, said: "I thought he looked fitter. To be fair, I think they all looked a little bit fitter. I think it was a rule, they had to come back in a certain condition by the looks of all of them." In a recent chat with ESPN, Amorim discussed his commitment to elevating the club's culture by enhancing standards across the board. He said: "You know that this is my job. Everyone knows that. "That looks like a small thing, but it's a big thing. I think we improved in even the medical department, the nutrition. We are so much better. What we eat, the way we behave on tour, on the pitch. "The rules. I think everything is important. I know that [the players] are not kids and I don't treat the players like kids. But I think these small rules can help a group to be strong." Amorim also added: "I don't treat the players as babies. If you don't train in the right way, I have footage to show you and I show you in front of everybody." United have been active in the summer transfer market, kicking off with a £62.5million acquisition of Wolves ' Matheus Cunha, followed by the signing of promising Paraguayan defender Diego Leon. The Red Devils then found themselves entangled in a protracted pursuit of Bryan Mbeumo, which culminated in him signing for a sum which could reach £71m. Benjamin Sesko is also on the cusp of joining Old Trafford in a deal worth up to £73.7m. But instead of focusing on the new faces, Scholes was particularly impressed with Mainoo's performances in the USA. Last season, the Carrington academy product was hampered by injuries and often struggled to earn Amorim's trust. After seeing him in pre-season, Scholes singled out the 20-year-old and urged him to cement his spot in Amorim's midfield duo. Scholes added: "I think we spoke last year about, what they lack in the midfield is that controlling midfield player. I thought that was going to be him (Mainoo). It seems like it's a little bit confused now. Can he be that midfielder again?". "Can he be that midfielder who can play in a two, but he'll obviously need a lot of legs around him? Or, is he now one of the No. 10s? I'm just confused." Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Daily Mirror
20 hours ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Paul Scholes has Benjamin Sesko worry and tells Man Utd signing he might have messed up
Manchester United look to have finally secured the signing of RB Leipzig star Benjamin Sesko, but club legend Paul Scholes has now shared his concerns for the 22-year-old striker Manchester United icon Paul Scholes believes Benjamin Sesko may have been better off choosing Newcastle over the Red Devils. After an extended transfer battle with the Magpies, United look to be closing in on the towering Slovenian centre-forward after a bid of £66.4million, and a further £7.6m in add-ons, was accepted by RB Leipzig. The 22-year-old is now jetting in for his medical as Ruben Amorim accelerates his transfer plans, but Scholes is concerned that United are shopping like-for-like. The 50-year-old is worried that Sesko hasn't got much more experience than under-fire United striker Rasmus Hojlund did when he signed for United in 2023, with the Dane's future now up in the air. The club legend believes the Magpies would have fostered a better environment for Sesko to develop, claiming strikers at United must hit the ground running while under intense scrutiny. Scholes aired his concerns for United's latest signing on The Overlap Fan Debate. He said: "From the point of Sesko... he'll have more chance at Newcastle to develop which he needs. Now to be a Manchester United centre-forward, as we've found with Hojlund, a 22-year-old kid, you've got to be ready. "It's got to be now. And Hojlund just isn't quite good enough for that as we've seen. But again, he's not had a chance to be developed - going to Newcastle might have been the best thing for him, for two or three years." United have not only stolen a march ahead of Eddie Howe's side for Sesko, but have also beaten them to the punch for Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who were signed earlier in the window from Wolves and Brentford respectively. Scholes, however, knows full well why United are a more attractive proposition than the north east side - but still isn't convinced it's the right deal for United to make. "Which club are going to be successful first? Are Man United going to win the league before Newcastle - if they ever do? Of course they are," Scholes said. "That's why he wants to go there, but I'm saying, from a United point of view, is it the best bit of business? I still think you're in the same boat as having Hojlund." Sesko's impending arrival, as well as the signings of Mbeumo and Cunha, looks certain to doom Hojlund's time at United. Sources close to the Dane have hinted that he may ultimately need to consider a move before the transfer deadline, if he remains out of favour. However, during the recent pre-season tour in America, Hojlund, who has scored 26 goals in 95 appearances for United, expressed his determination to secure a spot in Amorim's team. "I think my plan is very clear and that is for me to stay and fight for my spot, whatever happens," he said. "I'm still very young. I think people forget that sometimes. I'm only 22. Obviously, not every striker is scoring 100 goals at the age of 22. "Competition is fine with me. It sharpens me. I'm more than ready. I'm feeling sharp, so I'm welcoming everything that comes. I think it's good with competition and it only sharpens the team."
Metro
a day ago
- Sport
- Metro
Liverpool ready to make second bid for Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak
Liverpool have a new transfer proposal for Alexander Isak 'ready to be submitted' after their first bid of £110m was rejected by Newcastle. The Reds are keen to recruit the Sweden international striker, despite already signing Hugo Ekitike in a £79m deal from Eintracht Frankfurt. Isak, who scored 23 Premier League goals last term, has told Newcastle that he wants to leave before the summer window closes on September 1. The 25-year-old, who is under contract with Newcastle until 2028, was recently spotted training alone at his former club Real Sociedad. Newcastle have slapped a £150m price tag on Isak – who wants to join Premier League champions Liverpool, according to Fabrizio Romano. In The Mixer: Exclusive analysis, FPL tips and transfer talk sent straight to your inbox every week – click here and sign up before Friday to make sure you don't miss the first edition. 'Liverpool maintain their focus on Alexander Isak for the final weeks of the summer window,' the football transfer expert posted on his X account. 'New proposal, ready to be submitted if Newcastle open doors to the move. 'Isak maintains his position; he doesn't want to play or stay at Newcastle, he wants to leave and join #LFC.' Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has told his former club to walk away from a 'messy' transfer deal to sign Isak this summer. Speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, Carragher said: 'He (Isak) will be an amazing signing but from a fan's point of view for myself, I don't want Liverpool to spend £150m on Isak. 'There's something about Liverpool buying another striker (Ekitike), and he's backup. Something about it doesn't feel right to me. 'I look at Isak, and he's obviously thrown his toys out the pram once Arsenal signed a striker and Liverpool signed a striker. It feels a bit messy to me now. 'For me, when I think of Liverpool, it doesn't look really planned. I don't think the plan is to buy a striker for £80 million, and then be looking to buy another one for £120 million. 'In terms of what Liverpool have done in the summer by bringing in players, they've spent a lot of money and it doesn't feel like the Liverpool way of doing things so much.' A second former Liverpool star, John Arne Riise, told 'I'd love to get him at Liverpool – but the price will be extremely high. 'Is it worth it? I don't know.' MORE: Man City join Man Utd in transfer race to sign £104m Premier League midfielder MORE: Chelsea star set to miss majority of the season after surgery on ACL injury MORE: Transfer race for £80m Chelsea star heats up with three clubs to rival Newcastle
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
‘That bothers me' – Jamie Carragher tells Liverpool NOT to sign £150million Alexander Isak from Newcastle
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) JAMIE CARRAGHER has warned Liverpool off signing Swedish Newcastle striker Alexander Isak. The 25-year-old has been extensively linked with a move to Anfield since he announced his intention to leave his current club last month. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Alexander Isak has been heavily linked with a move to the Reds since telling Newcastle that he wants to leave last month Credit: Getty 3 Now, pundit and Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher has now spoken out against the move Credit: Youtube / The Overlap Play Dream Team now! Play The Sun Dream Team ahead of the 2025/26 season Free to play Over £100,000 in total prize money Play in Mini Leagues against your mates Submit a team for Gameweek 1 to enter £5,000 prize draw Play via Dream Team's app or website today! He is reportedly valued by Newcastle at £150million, with the Magpies holding out for whatever they can get amid a horror show of a summer transfer window. Carragher was speaking on The Overlap Fan Debate, brought to you by Sky Bet, when he revealed that he was not a fan of the potential move. Carragher said: "From a Liverpool fan's point of view, for myself, I don't want Liverpool to spend £150million on Isak. "There is something about Liverpool buying another striker for £80million and he is a back up... READ MORE ON FOOTBALL ALL SYSTEMS CHO Chelsea make Garnacho enquiry with Sesko deal set to spur merry-go-round "There is something about it that doesn't quite feel right to me." Carragher's qualms with the transfer seem to stem from the fact that the Reds have already splashed the cash on a forward this window for Hugo Ekitike, who transferred from Eintracht Frankfurt for a fee of £79m last month. Instead, the legendary Liverpool defender suggested that the move for Isak feels like an unplanned and opportunistic grab at the player after he made himself available by trying to force a move away. Carragher added: "I look at Isak and he has obviously thrown his toys out of the pram once. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 3 Carragher made his comments on The Overlap Fan Debate, alongside Paul Scholes Credit: Youtube / The Overlap "It just feels a little bit messy for me. It doesn't look really planned. "I don't think the plan is to buy a striker for £80million, and then be looking to buy another one for £120million. Alexander Isak arrives at Newcastle training for treatment amid Liverpool transfer interest "I do want Liverpool to sign him, but £150million for me feels like Mbappe, you should be getting Mbappe for £150million." Despite their high profile addition of Hugo Ekitike, the impending sale of Darwin Nunez to Al Hilal means that there may once again be room for another attacker at Anfield. The Uruguayan looks set to move to the Saudi league for a fee of around £46m.
