On Thursday, Manchester United officially reached an agreement with RB Leipzig to sign Benjamin Šeško for a total of €85 million (approximately £74 million). The transfer fee structure includes a fixed amount of €76.5 million (around £67 million), with the remainder dependent on performance-related clauses.
Šeško, along with his agent Alves Barzanović, has arrived in Manchester. He was seen boarding a special car to the airport in Leipzig and flew with Manchester United's recruitment director, Christopher Vivell. Subsequently, his private jet landed in Manchester, where he was taken to a hotel by the club's transport.
Šeško is set to undergo a medical examination on Friday, with the club planning to unveil him during the match against Fiorentina on Saturday. Although Newcastle United offered a higher transfer fee of €90 million, Šeško chose the Red Devils.
He has a gentleman's agreement with Leipzig, allowing for a transfer fee between €70 million and €80 million, plus an additional €5 million to €10 million in performance-related payments, as Manchester United is one of his "special teams."
After signing Šeško, Manchester United has spent £200 million on new signings this summer, including £62.5 million for Cunha from Wolves, £71 million for Mbeumo from Brentford, and the £74 million Šeško, creating a formidable attacking trio worth over £200 million.
Interestingly, Šeško's competitor, Hojlund, liked the announcement made by Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano confirming Šeško's transfer to Manchester United.
However, Manchester United's recruitment efforts this summer are not over yet. Simon Stone from BBC has revealed that Ruben Amorim is looking to strengthen the midfield position next. Amorim's primary goal this summer is to significantly improve the team's scoring ability. Last season, they only scored 44 goals in the Premier League, marking their worst performance since being relegated in the 1973/74 season.
Therefore, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS have splashed £200 million on three new forwards, but the current issue for the team is who will play in midfield. There are still problems in the central midfield positions, with each potential candidate having their own flaws.
In Amorim's 3-4-3 formation, central midfielders must be versatile in both attack and defense. Now, with the new attacking trio, captain Bruno Fernandes will have to drop deeper. In recent seasons, B-Fern has been the attacking core for Manchester United, but he is certainly not an all-round midfielder.
The Portuguese Iron Man's strength lies in his ability to roam freely in the attacking midfield, delivering crucial through balls or scoring himself. However, this 30-year-old player is not particularly strong defensively; he lacks awareness of opposing attacking threats and is unlikely to anticipate runs to block spaces.
Amorim values B-Fern highly and refuses to sell him at a high price to Saudi Arabia. "Bruno runs a lot," Amorim explained his compatriot's role in his tactical system, "perhaps his sprint speed isn't fast, but he covers a lot of ground and has great stamina. He is smart, so he is not the problem. Bruno's physicality is not an issue; he is prepared for physical confrontations, whether playing as a forward or in midfield."
As a result, the club has been inquiring this week whether Brighton would be willing to sell Cameroonian midfielder Carlos Baleba, to understand what conditions would be required to sign him. This 21-year-old Brighton player is a typical all-round midfielder, energetic, capable of both tackling and passing, and he is exactly the type of defensive midfielder Amorim's team lacks.
As a player from Cameroon in Africa, Baleba is keen to join Manchester United, as he has been noticed following the Red Devils' fans and rumors on social media. However, the only issue is whether the Red Devils can meet the price Brighton desires. The Seagulls have made it clear that they do not wish to sell Baleba this summer and hope to keep him for at least one more season.
Such statements usually do not mean that a transfer cannot be completed, but the buyer will have to offer a higher price. British media reports suggest that Brighton's asking price will be similar to the amount Chelsea paid for Caicedo in 2022: £115 million! Romano explained, "Baleba has not closed the door on a transfer; Manchester United has had direct contact with his team. United knows that the player's terms are not an issue, but negotiations between the clubs will be very difficult. Brighton wants to keep him this summer, so they will not budge."