Benjamin Sesko: The clever tactic Man United used to seal £74m deal | OneFootball

It was a gamble when Manchester United splashed out £74 million on Benjamin Sesko in the summer of 2025.

Two years earlier, the club had spent a similar fee on Rasmus Hojlund, who failed to live up to his potential at M16. Many feared United were repeating the same costly mistake.

Pulling off the Sesko deal, critics argued, meant United were once again banking on a young, inexperienced striker and expecting him to crack the Premier League instantly. The concern was that the pressure would crush him, leaving him to fade just like Hojlund.

Yet Sesko is not Hojlund. While he was not an immediate sensation, he has steadily grown into this United side.

Since the turn of the year, his performances have been outstanding. In his last nine appearances, only three of which were starts, the Slovenian hitman has scored seven goals. That fine run has directly contributed to United collecting 12 points.

In the 22-year-old, the Old Trafford faithful must believe they have landed their next great striker. But as fans marvel at his rise, an intriguing update has emerged about how INEOS won the race for his signature.

Newcastle, armed with Champions League football and prepared to break the bank, pushed hard to sign Sesko. Yet he snubbed them despite the bumper deal on offer at St James’ Park, choosing Old Trafford instead.

So how did United do it? According to The Sun, the 20-time English champions capitalised on the rapport they had already built with the player’s entourage.

Before his move to RB Leipzig in 2023, United had already attempted to recruit the Slovenian international, though he felt the timing was not right.

Two years later, in the summer of 2025, United, still searching for a striker after missing out on top target Liam Delap, returned for him once more.

How United convinced Sesko

The club employed a clever transfer tactic to ensure he did not turn them down again.

The Sun reveals:

“United produced an AI-generated video showing fans wearing Šeško’s shirt at Old Trafford and presented his entourage with a shirt. Sesko was preparing for pre-season with RB Leipzig when his agent met him to go over United’s pitch and handed him the shirt. Leipzig sources say Sesko put it on, looked at the United crest and said: ‘Just make it happen.’”

United’s targeted transfer strategy

With no Champions League football on offer, attracting elite talent was always going to be difficult last summer. United, therefore, adopted a focused approach: they would only pursue players who genuinely wanted them.

Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo had already made it clear they wanted United, and now it has emerged that Sesko did too.

Unsurprisingly, the trio have become major hits at the club, driving United back towards Champions League qualification.

Featured image Carl Recine via Getty Images

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