From Haaland to Sesko: Salzburg’s incredible youth production line

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 28 Jul 2022 12:56 BST
• 5 min read

Benjamin Sesko is a topic of discussion lately, with Manchester United reportedly eyeing up the Red Bull Salzburg forward as an option for their attacking line in the near future.

The Slovenian forward is attracting interest for his impressive performances in his young career, and he recently showed that in a friendly against Liverpool, where he scored the winner in a 1-0 success.

With Manchester United lacking depth in attack, they’re looking at options to add to their team, and Sesko is reportedly favoured by new coach Erik ten Hag.

A move this summer is possible, especially if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves the club, and Manchester United would be signing a player from a club with a history of producing excellent attacking players.

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Red Bull Salzburg have a history of producing top talent

Red Bull Salzburg are often visited by scouts from across Europe’s top clubs – their academy is one of the finest on the continent, and their attacking style is appreciated by many.

As a result, they have a top-quality alumni, featuring players from various positions including Sadio Mane, Dayot Upamecano, Naby Keita, Erling Haaland and Takumi Minamino, amongst others.

Attacking players, in particular, excel, which comes as a result of the systems set in place by managers of the past, including Ralf Rangnick, who oversaw the club’s football operations between 2012 and 2019.

— Football Transfers (@Transfersdotcom) July 28, 2022

Rangnick set out the principles for their attacking play which revolved around verticality, high pressing, playing with speed and aggression and keeping the ball moving forward.

The ambition to develop young players is simple: Salzburg believe young players have a better injury record and recover from their high-intensity methods quicker than older ones.

The club also feel they have greater motivation to improve, rather than rely on reputation, like some older players do, whilst also adapting to tactical tweaks quicker than older ones.

Importantly for the club, Salzburg feel there is a greater opportunity to enhance a younger player’s market value, as evident by the players they have developed and sold.

Mane was the first true attacking player to benefit from it, as he played there from 2012 to 2014, and he earned a move to Southampton, after a two-year stint that involved 45 goals in 87 appearances.

He would later become a star at Liverpool, winning every possible trophy he could across his six-year spell, before going to Bayern Munich earlier this summer to be Robert Lewandowski’s replacement in Bavaria.

Other such as Jonathan Soriano and Munas Dabbour excelled at Salzburg after, and when they signed up Haaland in 2019, they knew they had a star on their hands.

The Norwegian had a slow start, but burst onto the scene in the 2019-20 season, as he made an immediate impact in the Champions League, in Salzburg’s first-ever group stage campaign under Red Bull control.

He scored eight goals in the group stages against teams like Liverpool, Napoli and Genk, becoming the first teenager to score in his first five-straight group stage games, and a move was on the cards.

Haaland left that season, joining Borussia Dortmund in January 2020, in a €20 million deal, and he would become a world star, netting 86 goals in 89 appearances for the club before joining Manchester City this summer.

At Salzburg, as one star goes, another is always being prepared, and in this case, it was Patson Daka, who was being shaped as Haaland’s replacement, and the Zambian took the chance to shine with both hands.

In the time after Haaland’s departure, Daka scored 61 goals in 87 appearances, taking over the attacking responsibilities well, and he too earned a move to the Premier League, joining Leicester City in 2021.

His replacement was Karim Adeyemi, and the German continued the trend for Salzburg: in his sole season as Salzburg’s leading man, he netted 23 in 44, as Salzburg reached the Champions League knockout rounds.

If Sesko stays in Austria this summer, he’s certain to put up a record that good, but if he moves, it can be said that any club is getting great value: Salzburg have that history of developing exciting young attackers.