Man Utd dealt problem by Alexander Isak transfer bombshell as ‘contact made’

Alexander Isak’s desire to look for a new club came as a huge shock for Newcastle United fans, but it may also have a rippling effect for Manchester United

Alexander Isak’s potential departure from Newcastle United could jeopardise Manchester United’s pursuit of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko. Despite securing the services of Matheus Cunha in early June and recently finalising the signing of Bryan Mbeumo, United are still on the hunt for attacking reinforcements.

After Viktor Gyokeres rejected a reunion with Ruben Amorim to join Arsenal, the Red Devils’ focus has reportedly shifted to Sesko. With the north Londoners close to sealing a deal for Gyokeres, United seemed to have had a clear path to the towering Slovenian forward.

However, if Newcastle offload Isak, who has been linked with Liverpool and Saudi Arabian outfit Al Hilal after informing Eddie Howe’s side that he would like to explore an exit from St James’ Park, the Magpies will be expected to move for Sesko. This could spell trouble for United, who have already missed out on many striking targets this summer.

According to The Athletic, Newcastle are considering a move for Sesko, who boasts a record of 27 goals and seven assists in 64 Bundesliga outings for Leipzig. The Daily Mail have also claimed that Newcastle have approached Leipzig about the possibility of signing Sesko, who could command a fee in the region of £60m to £70m.

With Isak seemingly looking for an exit, Newcastle might decide to capitalise on what could potentially be a Premier League record transfer fee for a player. If this happens, they will likely speed up their chase for another prolific goal-scorer and Sesko seems to fit the bill.

Given that the Magpies are competing in the Champions League this season, United may struggle to lure Sesko to Old Trafford. Furthermore, having already splashed out around £132.5m on Mbeumo and Cunha, United will probably need to offload players before they can make a serious offer, while Newcastle could have ample funds to spend if Isak’s departure is accelerated.

After netting only 44 goals in the Premier League last season, United are still in dire need of a lethal striker. Cunha and Mbeumo are both sharp finishers, with 35 goals and 14 assists between them for their respective clubs last year.

Unfortunately for Amorim, neither are traditional centre forwards, which United have been searching for this summer. The Red Devils have already missed out on Delap, Gyokeres and, most recently, Hugo Ekitike, who secured a £79m move to Liverpool this week.

United reportedly held discussions with the representatives of Chelsea forward Nicolas Jackson, who is now thought to carry an £80m price tag. It’s now understood a bid for the Senegal international from the Red Devils is unexpected.

French outlet Foot Mercato also reported that Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani, who spent last season on loan at Juventus, is another potential target for United. However, Sesko could be the preferred choice for United.

German media suggests he carries a price tag of around £60m – £12m less than what United shelled out to Atalanta for Rasmus Hojlund in 2023 – making the 22-year-old an attractive prospect.

United still have Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee in their squad, but neither have proven they can lead the attack. The loan move of Marcus Rashford to Barcelona has freed up space and about £12m in wages, but United will still need to generate funds first before they can entertain bidding for another forward.

Resolving the futures of Antony, Alejandro Garnacho and Jadon Sancho, who the club are openly willing to sale, will likely be top of Amorim’s agenda, especially now Newcastle are putting pressure on them in the race for Sesko.

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