How Man Utd missed out on Sesko AND Haaland for €25m

Karan Tejwani

• Updated: 4 Aug 2022 02:14 CDT
• 4 min read

Manchester United are interested in the signing of Red Bull Salzburg’s Benjamin Sesko, as the Slovenian forward attracts interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs.

The 19-year-old had an impressive end to last season, scoring 13 goals in the final seven league matches, and many across Europe are keen to snap him up as soon as possible.

However, United are refusing to pay the big fee demanded by the Austrian champions, believed to be about €50 million, and that is causing a delay in a deal.

It’s also been revealed that United had the chance to sign Sesko back in 2019 for as little as £3 million (€3.5 million), but refused the chance, and he isn’t the first player the Red Devils missed out on at a young age.

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Which youngsters have Man Utd missed out on in the past?

Erling Haaland

Erling Haaland earned a big money move to Manchester City, having shone at Borussia Dortmund in his two-and-a-half years there.

Prior to that, he was doing well at Red Bull Salzburg, and ex-United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was a fan, eager to bring him to Old Trafford after he burst onto the scene.

The Red Devils didn’t fork out about €21.5 million for the player, and they’re now left with inadequate attacking options, while Haaland only strengthens City’s forward line.

Dayot Upamecano

Upamecano became one of the best defenders in the Bundesliga at RB Leipzig, before Bayern Munich snapped him up in the summer of 2021.

Before that, though, he was at French side Valenciennes, and Manchester United were monitoring his rise, but passed up the chance to sign him for just £2 million in 2015.

That was believed to be due to the fact that the club weren’t able to meet his desired personal needs, and he ended up at Red Bull Salzburg before a career in Germany.

Alphonso Davies

Another Bayern star that could’ve moved to Manchester United early in his career is left-back Alphonso Davies, who rose to become one of the world’s best in Bavaria.

Before moving to Bayern Munich, he was at Canadian side Vancouver Whitecaps, and United were keeping an eye on his progress, inviting him on a three-week trial at Carrington in January 2018.

In this case, the Whitecaps refused to let go of their young star, and they ended up getting a big offer from the German champions later that year.

Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is one of the game’s renowned young midfielders, and he’s already achieved so much in the sport while still being a teenager.

The Borussia Dortmund star was chased by Europe’s elite clubs when he broke through the scene at Birmingham City, and Manchester United were closely linked to the player.

They invited him to their training ground, showed him around with Sir Alex Ferguson but the Englishman preferred a move to Germany instead and it’s worked out well for him.