Who will Newcastle sign if they miss out on Benjamin Sesko? Magpies look to poach a striker from Premier League rivals
Newcastle United look set to miss out on RB Leipzig striker Benjamin Sesko, who now favours a move to Manchester United.
As previously reported, the Magpies submitted a bid for the Slovenia international worth £70m in total, which would have been a club record for the Tyne and Wear side.
But according to TalkSport, 22-year-old Sesko favours a move to Old Trafford, and was holding out for an improved offer from Man United.
The Red Devils tabled an offer totalling £73.8m, incluiding £8.7m of add-ons.
If Sesko does indeed pick Man United as his destination, it’s yet another blow for manager Eddie Howe in the transfer market.
The Magpies have missed out on Brentford attacker Bryan Mbeumo (who also joined Man United), Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi and also look set to lose star striker Alexander Isak, who has told the club he wants to leave - with Liverpool pining for the Sweden international.
With Isak’s departure on the cards and Callum Wilson already leaving Newcastle this summer, Howe is in desperate need of a new centre-forward this summer.
Here are the leading options on his shortlist, including a trio of Premier League number nines.
Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)
Arguably the best option on this list, Watkins was Man United’s back-up choice if they failed to land Sesko. It therefore makes perfect sense for Newcastle to pursue the England international instead.
Watkins was on fire for Aston Villa last season, but had to share minutes upfront - first with Jhon Duran before he left for the Saudi Pro League, and then with Marcus Rashford and Donyell Malen in the second half of the year.
At Newcastle, he would be the definitive starting striker, but is a move to the Magpies really a significant move up the Premier League food chain for him?
Yoane Wissa (Brentford)
Every season, one or two players at Brentford establish themselves among the Premier League’s elite players.
A couple of years ago it was striker Ivan Toney; last season it was Bryan Mbeumo and Yoane Wissa, with their link-up play catapaulting the Bees to a 10th place finish in the league.
Newcastle have already sniffed around Yoane Wissa this summer as a replacement for Callum Wilson, but would now be calling upon him for a far greater responsibility at S James’ Park.
The question that remains is whether Brentford would want to sell Wissa, having already lost goalkeeper Mark Flekken, midfielder Christian Norgaard and forward Bryan Mbeumo this summer.
Nicolas Jackson (Chelsea)
When Chelsea placed a £100m price tag on Nicolas Jackson earlier this summer, pundits and journalists alike scoffed at the price tag. It would put Jackson among the likes of Florian Wirtz, Romelu Lukaku and Antoine Griezmann - and more expensive than Jude Bellingham or Harry Kane.
Make no mistake, Jackson is a good striker, but statistically not the strongest on the shortlist. But if all else fails, and Newcastle approach deadline day without a centre-forward on their books, Chelsea will hold all the cards.
The bottom line is Newcastle need a striker, and the basic rules of supply and demand dictate that, even with some wiggle room for negotiation, the Magpies might have to cough up a hefty sum for the 24-year-old.
Lois Openda (RB Leipzig)
RB Leipzig are the German version of Brentford this summer, with all their top players seeming to be snapped up.
Sesko is on the cusp of joining Man United; midfielder Ilaix Moriba has left for Celta Vigo; and attacker Xavi Simons is wanted by Chelsea.
Openda is also on Sunderland’s radar, with the Black Cats spending heavily ahead of their Premier League return.
Signing him from under their local rival’s nose would bring a smile to Newcastle fans too - and he’s a decent striker to boot.