Manchester United have secured the signing of RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko in a deal worth £73.7 million.
The Slovenia international has signed a five-year contract, with £66.3 million guaranteed and the remainder in performance-related add-ons.
Sesko, 22, becomes United’s third high-profile attacking acquisition of the summer, following the arrivals of Matheus Cunha from Wolves for £62.5 million and Bryan Mbeumo from Brentford for £65 million plus £6 million in add-ons. All three were unveiled to fans ahead of the club’s pre-season match against Fiorentina.
The highly rated forward had also attracted interest from Newcastle United, but opted to join Ruben Amorim’s squad at Old Trafford. United will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 15th-place Premier League finish last season, while Newcastle secured fifth place, Champions League qualification, and an EFL Cup win.
Sesko spent the past two seasons in Germany after joining Leipzig from Red Bull Salzburg in 2023. During his time in the Bundesliga, he scored 39 goals and provided eight assists in 87 appearances across all competitions. Twenty-seven of those goals came in 64 Bundesliga matches, making him the highest-scoring player under 23 across Europe’s top five leagues last season.
Statistically, Sesko outperformed notable young stars such as Jude Bellingham and Florian Wirtz. Standing at 6ft 5in, he boasts a powerful aerial game with a 57.4% aerial duel success rate, the highest among Bundesliga strikers. His top speed of 35.7 km/h ranked him among the league’s fastest forwards.
The Slovenian international is also known for his long-range threat, with 36.8% of his shots and 23.1% of his goals coming from outside the penalty area—both figures surpassing any Bundesliga striker who scored 12 or more goals last season. Last season also saw him develop into a more versatile attacker, contributing more on both wings and deeper in midfield.
Manchester United’s recruitment team have tracked Sesko’s development for years, identifying his blend of pace, physical dominance, and technical quality as a perfect fit for the club’s future ambitions. With Amorim at the helm and a new-look attack, United aim to return to competing for major honours, with Sesko expected to play a central role in their resurgence.
