Sesko and the strikers Man Utd failed to sign this summer
Suraj Radia
- Updated: 9 Aug 2022 16:04 BST
- 4 min read
Manchester United have missed out on another of their striker targets after Benjamin Sesko was confirmed to be joining RB Leipzig next summer.
United were in talks with RB Salzburg over a deal worth more than €55 million for Sesko but the Austrian side's partnership with Leipzig will see him move to the Bundesliga in 2023 for just €24m.
The failure to land Sesko represents yet another blow in United's difficult summer, which has seen them miss out on numerous players and left scrambling for alternatives heading into the final weeks of the transfer window.
Erik ten Hag had identified a forward as one of his priority positions to strengthen upon his arrival in May but the club has so far been unable to deliver, with the majority of targets now unavailable or having joined other clubs.
After defeat in their opening Premier League fixture against Brighton, the need for new signings has increased, as has United's anxiety over securing a new forward.
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United's primary target going into the summer was believed to be Darwin Nunez, however the Uruguayan forward opted to join Liverpool from Benfica in a deal worth €100m.
With top level strikers being something of a premium in this summer's transfer market, United never truly recovered from missing out on Nunez and struggled to land on an alternative.
The situation was further compounded by last season's top goalscorer Cristiano Ronaldo demanding to leave the club, meaning United may need two new forwards despite being unable to sign even one.
The lack of reinforcements has seen Anthony Martial be reintegrated into the first team despite uncertainty over his ability after a poor loan spell with Sevilla last season.
United's only available forwards are Martial, a want-away Ronaldo and Marcus Rashford, who netted just four goals last season and appears a shadow of his former self.
Ten Hag was also keen to strengthen in the wide areas and wanted Antony from former club Ajax, however United's indecisiveness saw the Dutch side eventually decide against selling the Brazilian after cashing in on a number of other first team players.
Manchester United alternatives:-
Frenkie de Jong (£72 mil + £17 mil)➡️Adrien Rabiot (£15 mil)
Antony(£70 mil)➡️Hakim Ziyech(£7 mil)
Benjamin Sesko(£45 mil)➡️Marko Arnautovic(£8 mil)
Don’t ever fall for this is what ten hag wants, we have all seen this movie before #GlazersOut pic.twitter.com/k05h6sVQB5— Adi (@Fan101Manc) August 9, 2022
It is believed United exhausted the majority of their resources in moves for Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia, leaving a lack of funds to sign an elite forward and prompting a shift towards more affordable targets.
The new approach culminated with a move for ex-West Ham forward Marko Arnautovic, however Bologna rejected an €8m bid for the 33-year-old, insisting the Austrian was 'priceless' to their project.
The move for Arnautovic proved underwhelming to fans, prompting second thoughts among the United hierarchy and it is unclear who the club will turn to now.
Stuttgart striker Sasa Kalajdzic has been extensively scouted by United and could be available for around £15m but no bid has been made for the Austrian, leaving the club firmly in 'panic buy' territory.
