Barcelona planned transfer move for Manchester United summer signing

Barcelona have been left ‘hurt’ by Manchester United’s signing of Benjamin Sesko, according to reports in Spain.

Sesko became Ruben Amorim’s third signing of the summer last week after completing a £74m move from RB Leipzig.

The Slovenia international scored 39 goals in 87 appearances for Leipzig and attracted interest from Arsenal and Newcastle United before his move to Old Trafford.

Amorim was keen to sign a new striker this summer following Rasmus Hojlund’s struggles at the club and has subsequently put the Danish forward up for sale.

Sesko rejected a move to Newcastle in favour of joining Manchester United but it was not just the Magpies who were disappointed by the outcome.

Spanish outlet Sport say Barcelona were ‘hurt’ by Sesko’s move to Old Trafford as they were already lining up a move for the 22-year-old next summer.

Barca sporting director Deco is said to be a huge admirer of Sesko and identified the ex-Leipzig star as a possible replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

Lewandowski has scored over 100 goals over the past three seasons but turns 37 later this month and is clearly coming to the end of his glittering career.

While Barcelona identified Sesko as a long-term transfer target, they were aware he would likely be on the move this summer given the concrete interest from numerous Premier League clubs.

Sesko is Manchester United’s third summer addition following Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, who were signed from Wolves and Brentford respectively.

Amorim’s new first-choice striker was unveiled at Old Trafford before United’s final pre-season friendly and could make his debut on Sunday in the Premier League opener against Arsenal.

Ex-Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham says Sesko is a ‘talented lad’ but fears he could go the same way as Hojlund.

‘We’ll have to see,’ Sheringham told Snabbare when asked if Sesko would be a success at Old Trafford. ‘He’s another 20-something striker coming in for big money but the problem at United is the service.

‘Tough ask’ for ‘talented lad’ Benjamin Sesko

‘All their wingers cutting inside to have a pop.  You need your wider players feeding your striker. We’ve all seen it with Hojlund. He’s a good player but he just doesn’t get the service a striker needs.

‘Sesko is going to have to be a voice and make demands of the players around him and get what he needs. Does he enough about himself to take United back to the top?

‘He’s a talented lad but it’s going to be a tough ask for me. I think it’s a tough game. I’ve spoken to Dwight Yorke about it and we’ve said if you were playing as an experienced centre forward, you’d be saying to your wingers, what are you doing?

‘Get down there, get the ball in for me and feed me. I’m the striker. But when you’re 22, you’re looking and thinking, could you feed me a little bit because I can score goals.

‘There’s a big difference between a man like Zlatan Ibrahimovic that walks on the pitch and goes to the other players, “feed it to me!”

‘They know their job. He knows what he’s telling them so he’s putting them under pressure to give him the chances. He scores the goals.

‘We all get confidence and you go on from there. But when everybody’s trying to do their job the best they can it’s not what you’re looking for, not a club like Manchester United, you have to go out there and demand it.’

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