Man Utd suffer another transfer blow as teen target Benjamin Sesko joins RB Leipzig from Salzburg in £55m deal
MANCHESTER UNITED have suffered yet another transfer blow as Benjamin Sesko joined RB Leipzig for £55million.
The teenage striker, 19, had attracted plenty of interest from Old Trafford as well as Chelsea and Newcastle.
But the Red Bull Salzburg star has instead completed a switch to sister-club RB Leipzig.
The 6ft 4ins Slovenian signed a five-year contract with the German club which takes effect from July 1 2023 and runs until 2028.
He will spend this season with Salzburg and then make the switch to the Bundesliga at the end of the campaign.
Sesko - who managed 11 goals and six assists in 12 matches last term - said: "RB Leipzig is one of the top clubs in Germany and is gradually establishing itself among the best teams in Europe.
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"A special success story was written here in just a few years - and I would like to help shape it in the future.
"The club's focus on young players and playing attractive, attacking football suits me perfectly.
"The city, the stadium and the entire infrastructure at RB Leipzig have convinced me - in addition to the many good discussions with the club officials - that the step to Leipzig is absolutely the right one.
"But now my focus is entirely on the season in Salzburg, in which I want to develop further and be as successful as possible."
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The Sesko deal comes in the week RB Leipzig are expected to complete the transfer return of Timo Werner back to the Red Bull Arena.
But it comes as another bitter blow to Erik ten Hag and his summer transfer overhaul plans.
United have signed Christian Eriksen, Lisandro Martinez and Tyrell Malacia in the current window.
However, their list of failed transfer attempts is far longer.
The club missed out on Frenkie de Jong and Antony despite long pursuits.
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They were also linked with Darwin Nunez, Robert Lewandowski, Jurrien Timber, Leroy Sane, Kalvin Phillips and Malcolm Ebiowei but all of them snubbed the chance to move to Old Trafford.
They've even failed with an attempt to sign former Stoke and West Ham striker Marko Arnautovic after Bologna rejected their opening bid.