Manchester United Seeks to Bolster its Attack with New Forwards
Manchester United is actively seeking a new striker to strengthen their squad. According to sources close to the club, the main targets are Ollie Watkins and Benjamin Sesko.
The team has explored various options after failing to secure the signing of Liam Delap, who chose to join Chelsea. With the recent addition of Bryan Mbeumo, the focus has intensified on the search for a center forward.
Watkins and Sesko are emerging as the most viable options on the market, following the recent transfers of Hugo Ekitike to Liverpool and Viktor Gyökeres to Arsenal.
There is concern at United about the potential cost of deals for Watkins or Sesko.
The club is evaluating the costs associated with both players, considering the valuations established by Aston Villa and RB Leipzig, respectively.Contact has been established with the representatives of both players to determine the financial aspects involved. It has not yet been defined whether Watkins or Sesko will be prioritized.
A factor to consider in a possible deal for Sesko is the interest of Newcastle United. The English club has shown interest in the 22-year-old Slovenian international, given the possibility of Alexander Isak joining Liverpool.
United is confident that Sesko would choose the club over Newcastle, despite the latter’s qualification for the Champions League, if they initiate talks with RB Leipzig.
Aston Villa, for its part, insists on not letting Watkins leave. However, United believes that a suitable offer could convince the club to let go of the 29-year-old player, who was the subject of an offer from Arsenal in January.
It is unlikely that United will match the £60 million bid submitted by Arsenal six months ago, and they value the English player at around £45 million.
The club’s directive hopes to increase its flexibility in the market by selling players such as Alejandro Garnacho, Antony, Jadon Sancho, and Tyrell Malacia.
Marcus Rashford’s transfer to Barcelona has generated a financial margin. United’s interest in signing another striker could affect Rasmus Højlund’s future.
The Danish player prefers to stay, but his opportunities could be limited if another player arrives to compete for his position.
Napoli and Juventus are some of the clubs that have requested to be informed about Hojlund’s situation.
The 22-year-old player only scored four goals in the Premier League last season, his second at United, after arriving in 2023 from Atalanta for an initial fee of £64 million.
