Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have suffered a massive blow in their pursuit of Manchester United attacking sensation Benjamin Sesko.
Benjamin Sesko will not leave Manchester United this summer despite interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, as the Red Devils have no intention of negotiating his departure, per TEAMtalk.
Despite Barcelona and Atletico Madrid’s interest and enquiries through intermediaries, Manchester United’s stance is firm. Sesko is an integral part of their long-term plans, and they won’t negotiate his departure.
Sesko made the move to United last summer in a deal worth in excess of £70 million from RB Leipzig. He had a mixed start to life at Old Trafford, but he did pick up pace towards the end of the campaign. He eventually finished with 11 league goals and an assist in his 30 outings.
These numbers understate Sesko’s impact. He started just 17 of those games, and the majority of his goals came in the second half of the season under Michael Carrick. No other player scored more league goals in the second half than the 23-year-old.
Spanish giants will have to look elsewhere
Carrick is very pleased with his work and wants him as the leader of his attack going forward. While he has been linked with a move away amidst interest from Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, United won’t negotiate his departure.
The Catalan giants are looking at him as an ideal replacement for Robert Lewandowski. Sesko is quick, has great link-up play, is reliable in the air and has immense potential. He could be a great signing for Hansi Flick’s team.
Meanwhile, at Atletico, he could help fill the void left by Antoine Griezmann. The Madrid-based giants are also considering cashing in on Alexander Sorloth, so Sesko could be the perfect replacement. While there is uncertainty around Julian Alavrez’s future, they do intend to keep hold of him.
But neither club is going to get their hands on the young Slovenian striker. The Catalan giants should instead look at Eli Junior Kroupi, who will be allowed to leave for the right price. However, he will cost a lot more than Sesko, given the kind of rise he has had and the potential he has.
Meanwhile, Atletico could shift their focus to Folarin Balogun. While AS Monaco are reluctant to sell, the club’s firm stance may soften with a substantial offer.