Manchester United have been linked with Slovenian striker Benjamin Šeško in recent weeks, particularly since Cristiano Ronaldo’s future at the club has been uncertain.
Šeško, who currently plays for Red Bull Salzburg, had fans entertained during his team’s 1-0 win over Liverpool last week, with the 19-year-old scoring the only goal of the game.
Reports suggest that United are monitoring the situation Šeško, whose agent, Elvis Bašanović, met with United representatives and Chelsea’s interim sporting director Todd Boehly earlier this week.
With Salzburg striker Karim Adeyem signing for Borussia Dortmund this window, they would be looking for a hefty transfer fee to prise away his understudy, with the media suggesting anything between €50m to €60m could be asked. It would have to be considered a calculated risk for any club keen to make the transfer happen, given the teenager scored just 11 goals in 37 appearances in Austria last season.
Šeško has four years remaining on his current deal so Salzburg are under no pressure to sell. United’s decision to act this summer may well hang on how much Ronaldo pushes for a move and whether clubs like Chelsea put in a bid.
Standing at 6 foot 4 inches tall, it is possible Erik ten Hag sees Šeško as someone capable of playing as the focal point that Sebastian Haller did for the manager at Ajax. The Slovenian’s speed and strength would also suit Ten Hag’s pressing style.
With the Premier League season starting in a matter of days, United’s squad is arguably weaker now that it was at the start of last season. United seem to be relying on the likes of Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial rediscovering their goalscoring form, with Edinson Cavani making way this summer and no replacement incoming.
It’s hard to predict whether a player as young as Šeško, with no experience of the Premier League, could make an immediate impact, but the odds would be stacked against him. Yet with the Frenkie de Jong transfer saga rumbling on, United may well feel the pressure to get new players through the door.
