In a dramatic and unexpected turn of events in the transfer market, RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Šeško has reportedly rejected a move to Manchester United and has instead decided to join Premier League rivals Newcastle United.
This news comes as a major shock, as just 24 hours ago, Manchester United were said to be “confident” of winning the race for his signature. However, according to journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Newcastle have successfully hijacked the deal at the last minute by increasing their offer on personal terms to the player.
The improved salary proposal has seemingly proven decisive. Reports from the player’s native Slovenia now confirm that Šeško has given the “green light” to Newcastle. He has approved the move, which now allows the Magpies to advance to final negotiations with RB Leipzig over a potential €90 million transfer fee.
This move is set to have a huge domino effect on the transfer market. Newcastle have been pursuing Šeško as a direct replacement for their wantaway star striker, Alexander Isak. By appearing to secure Šeško, the door is now wide open for Newcastle to potentially sanction Isak’s departure, with Liverpool remaining his heavily preferred destination.
For Manchester United, this is a significant blow to their summer plans. After believing they had secured their top striker target, they are now forced back to the drawing board. Their pursuit of other forwards with Premier League experience, such as Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson, is now expected to intensify.
The race for Benjamin Šeško appears to be over with a surprise winner. Newcastle’s late, decisive move has seemingly convinced the player, a decision that will likely trigger a chain reaction of major transfers across the Premier League in the coming days.